


Lost and Found

by CrazGanon



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, CanonxOC, F/M, Ice puns, Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, Ninjas - Freeform, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Romance, Shameless Smut, Teacher-Student Relationship, go easy on me guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-01-11 19:19:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18430442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazGanon/pseuds/CrazGanon
Summary: In the frozen wastes of Arctika, new threats emerge to challenge the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero, now the Grandmaster of the ninja clan, has hopes of shedding their dark past. But when a driven Special Forces operative turns up bleeding on his doorstep, he has little choice but to don the mask once more and help discover the conspiracy that threatens his people before it can unfold.





	1. Fallen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zexeos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zexeos/gifts).



> Yo! First time posting a fic here, under the urging of my fiance so go easy on me, guys. This is some steamy ninja bullshit packed with action, romance, and saucy characters. Enjoy! Or don't, I'm not a cop.

Ash woke up slowly, wearing a grey, woolen blanket over her half naked body. The room was cold and her body shivered despite the thick layers of blankets covering her body. Her eyes jolted awake in realization - the last thing she remembered was being attacked by the yeti. She moved up but winced in pain, lowering the blankets to see her bandaged torso. Her right half had a numb burn to it.

The room she was in was low lit by torchlight that produced a strange, blue flame. Old tapestries depicting ancient Chinese symbols on them adorned the walls that seemed to be made of a dark red, almost black stone. The floor was tiled marble, likely freezing cold if the room’s temperature was anything to go by. Judging by how she was in the wastes of Arctika, stranded from her people, she could understand why it was so cold.

She was wearing only a bandages on her torso, a bandeau that covered her large chest, and some grey women’s trunks. A small, ornamental bell rested on a wooden nightstand next to her bed. Curious, she rang the bell a little, producing a soft chime that echoed across the room. Nearby was a wooden door, and outside of it Ash could hear footsteps shift towards it.

The door jumbled a bit as it was unlocked and opened, with a small asian girl poking her head in. She had short, dark hair and pale skin with a light, blue robe adorning a strange, upside down triangular symbol. She smiled at Ash and greeted “Good morning. You had quite an injury, Miss Fields.”

Ash gave her a cautious look “How do you know my name?”

The girl approached her and began examining her wounded side “One of our patrols found you a few miles outside of our temple. It was good that we found you. Yetis are ferocious hunters, but seldom travel alone. How do you feel?”

Ash watched her undo her bandaging and winced as the girl peeled it off her stitched up wound “I’ve had better days. Who are you?”

She smiled up at her “I’m Inka, of the Lin Kuei clan.”

Raising her eyebrows, Ash breathed out “The Lin Kuei…?! You’re the guys I was warned about…”

Inka chuckled at the awed response and asked “Do you think you would still be alive if you had anything to fear from us, Miss Fields? Trust me, the last thing the Grandmaster wants is to be on the Special Forces’ radar. He and Mrs. Blade have a… bit of history together.”

Ash blinked “The Grandmaster? You mean Sub-Zero?”

Inka shrugged “To an outsider, probably. We all just call him the Grandmaster, or Master Liang.”

_ Master Liang…?  _ Ash wondered what Sub-Zero wanted with her. She was just a Special Forces private, sent to escort a detail to Arctika to treat with the Mangu clan. They were warned not to cross into the Lin Kuei’s land, however, knowing just how territorial the group was. Now here she was, being hosted in their halls. Talk about a mission awry.

“And what does Master Liang want with me?” she asked, wincing a bit as this Inka girl applied a healing ointment to the wound before wrapping it up in bandaging. She felt like a mummy with all this archaic healing.

Inka looked up at her and offered “That is between you and the Grandmaster. All he wanted was for me to heal you and reassure you we mean no harm. The other students are preparing your food and will be delivering it shortly.”

Ash sighed as the girl finished, cutting the bandage off and tying it closed “Thank god, I’m starving.”

Inka chuckled “I am sure. I’ll be back with your food momentarily.”

Nodding, Ash reclined back into the bed and closed her eyes. The air had the faint smell of incense and it gave a relaxing feeling to the wounded soldier. Before long, she found herself dozing off again.

 

* * *

 

Awakening later to the sound of the door unlocking and being opened, Ash leaned up to find Inka bringing in a wooden tray loaded with two wooden bowls and a wooden cup which had steam coming off the top. Tea, she guessed.

Accompanying her was an armored ninja with a deep blue armor color and an intricate mask covering his jaw and nose. His eyes were asian in appearance and bore a sharp and cunning look to them. A pair of swords rested in sheaths at his right hip. 

Inka brought the tray over to the nightstand and offered “We have soup, rice, and tea, Miss Fields. Eat them in any order you like.”

Even from a glance, Ash could tell the “soup” was just flavorless broth. The rice was white and likely just as bland, and the tea was a murky green in color. Smiling weakly up at her, she nodded “Thanks.”

She dug into the rice first, which was surprisingly good for just being plain rice. It was gooey almost from clumping well, though eating it with chopsticks was proving challenging to an American girl.

Inka departed, though the ninja stayed, folding his arms as he watched her eat. Looking up at him, she asked “Can I… help you?”

The ninja asked “What are you doing here?”

She looked around before swallowing a bit of rice and answering plainly “I was wounded out in the wastes. You guys saved me.”

The ninja’s arms unfolded as he clarified “What are you doing here in  _ Arctika _ ? Your Special Forces agreed to the terms of the Concordance: the Lin Kuei have jurisdiction here.”

Ash sighed “And Article Seventeen permits Special Forces to deploy in any sovereign border or province. I’m not here to argue with you, mister…?”

The ninja replied “Cobalt.”

Raising an incredulous brow, Ash remarked “Seriously?”

The ninja broke the humor of the situation with a sharp bark “Silence!”

This jolted Ash a bit. She instinctively reached at her thigh where her handgun usually was, only to feel the cloth of her trunks instead. She says nervously “Alright, calm down…  _ Cobalt _ … I’m just here to meet with… Arashi Mangu.”

Cobalt retorted “Arashi Mangu is dead.”

_ Dead…?  _ Ash’s face paled a bit as she stared at the man in silence. “He’s… dead?”

Nodding, Cobalt explained “The Mangu clan has been eradicated mysteriously without a trace. Our Grandmaster is currently investigating the matter.”

Ash needed more intel. Gulping, she asked “Was there… Did anyone else…”

Cobalt stood still as a statue, replying coldly “You were the only survivor.” After a moment of her taking all of this in, the blue ninja turned to leave, commanding “Eat, Miss Fields. The Grandmaster will have questions for you.”

Struggling still with her chopsticks, Ash set them down hard on the nightstand in frustration and opted to use the soup spoon instead, contemplating the loss of her friends’ lives. Joey… Patrick… Dave… Sadir…

 

* * *

Ash awoke with a low groan. Her neck hurt from being stiffly placed on her pillow for an entire day and a half. She needed to move, needed to get out of this bed. Turning and climbing out, she let her bare feet touch the cold tile floor, wincing as a chill traveled up her spine. These ninjas were practically living in the 18th century, she doubted they had any heating aside from the torches that barely seemed to produce any warmth.

Stepping towards the wooden door, she grabbed the latch and turned, hearing a click of it opening.  _ Unlocked!  _ Either her guards were slipping up, which was unlikely, or she was being given free reign to travel.

Opening the door, she was greeted by a hallway dimly lit by the same blue flame torches that lit her room. Carved onto the walls were depictions of great, fantastical dragons and armored warriors. Like something someone would find in a castle in some video game.

Her feet adjusted to the cold floor but slowly, as she walked her toes burned with how cold they were. First thing to demand: socks.She moved down the hall and to the right, into a larger hallway with different halls intersecting into it. It was cold… cold and quiet, with only the howling of the winter air outside to be heard. She pressed her ear to the stone and could faintly hear the chantings of trainees outside. 

She moved quietly down the hall, keeping an ear out for any sound that would give hint to someone she could speak to. She needed warmth, better food… but most of all, she needed transportation. Only the Grandmaster could help her.

“You should be more careful.” whispered a female voice behind her. Ash reflexively turned on her heel and aimed a sharp elbow at whatever was behind her, only to find nothing. The torches in the hall danced and flickered, and Ash looked around for whatever the source of the voice was. Was she going crazy?

“Who goes there?” she asked aloud, moving her arms up in a defensive stance. A low chuckle could be heard around her, and she began to panic. Was she in danger?!

Nearby, a black-clad ninja emerged from a shadow - not like a normal person, but actually  _ peeling  _ herself from the shadows themselves. She wore a garb similar to Cobalt’s but black, with a more sleek and lineer mask that had some discolored splotches on it, as if something had been spilled upon it. Ash could barely notice beneath the girls hood some white hair poking through. “Your stance offers many opportunities for death. Whoever your master was, he did not train you well enough.” assessed the girl. A small  _ tanto  _ sword rested at her hip.

“What the hell…?” asked Ash, her eyes wide as she watched the girl emerge from the shadows as if exiting a bath. 

The ninja greeted “Shroud. I am one of the Grandmaster’s students. I watch over the sanctum, and guard its secrets. I was told you should be resting.”

She stepped toward Ash, her shadow moving kicks against Ash’s legs. She could feel it as if she was actually being kicked, her legs moving back as they felt the light impacts of the woman’s legs. “Agh! Watch it- Hey!”

The ninja kept walking towards her, her shadow making light jabs at the girl’s joints though took care not to hit her wound or strike with enough force to actually hurt. She gave a small huff of amusement before commanding “You should rest. The Grandmaster will summon you when he is ready.”

Ash barked back “I’m read- Agh! Stop! I can’t keep resting in that room! I’m cold, I’m hungry, and I have to pee!”

The ninja girl folded her arms as her shadow had her hands at her hips, remarking “Your body lies to you. It makes you think you are cold and hungry. The bathroom visit is likely legitimate, however, you did just eat. I will show you where the bathroom is, then you will return to your room.”

Ash huffed “And do what? I’ve been sitting in there all day, at least give me a book to read or something.”

Shroud passed a glance to her shadow and it returned the favor, as if it were a projection on a film, before the two returned their gaze to her. “Ever the American, in need of entertainment. Come, the lavatory is this way.” She turned and showed the girl down the hall, her shadow dissipating in with the darkness of the less lit hallway.


	2. Fateful

Ash waited another day in restlessness for her meeting with Sub-Zero. Minutes ticked by like centuries, with nothing to do but admire the stonework, eat, and make the occasional bathroom visit. Inka was courteous enough, at least, to have brought her a book but because Ash couldn’t read Mandarin, it was wasted on her.

She stared at the ceiling as she lay in bed, a prisoner of her own mind. This was practically torture. Hearing the clanking of the door unlatching to open, she jolted up to see Inka enter to collect the food tray, greeting with a courteous bow of her head “Miss Fields. How are you feeling?”

“Restless and hangry.” answered Ash with an angered pout.

“Hangry?” asked Inka, blinking at the strange term. 

Ash moved so that her legs could stretch a bit, explaining “Angry and hungry.” Her muscles ached from laying in that bed so much, and she was sure that she was leaving an imprint. She rotated her neck around a bit to pop it, wincing in pain as she did. She was not suited for captivity, that was certain.

“Ah, must be a western thing. How is your wound?” Inka inquired, approaching the nightstand to collect the tray. Ash barely noticed it at first but the girl had a faded scar on her neck. 

Wondering about its origin, she answered half-mindedly “Fine. When do I get to see-”

“-Master Liang will see you now.” replied Shroud, appearing out of the shadows on the wall next to Ash’s bed. Giving an alarmed yelp, she aimed a reflexive punch at the shadowy ninja who grabbed her fist with lightning ease. “Not bad, but you would do well not to try such with the Grandmaster.”

And just as quickly as she came, she retreated back into the shadows. A shiver ran up Ash’s spine, making her shudder a bit. “Does she always do that?” she asked, looking to Inka, who was looking particularly amused by it.

“Only to ones she likes. Come, the Grandmaster awaits.” she answered, turning to escort Ash.

 

* * *

Ash had been given a thicker robe and some socks with light sandals to wear as she walked through the temple. The place had an air of dark mystery to it, like a crypt or abandoned museum. There were areas so dark, the dim torches barely did anything to illuminate them. However, as they moved further in the temple, there were more open areas, such as a small causeway with open sides to showcase the students training in the courtyard. 

A robed figure gave instructions in Mandarin sharply as the students made rhythmic strikes with wooden poles, matching his commands. On the other side, a small pit allowed one-on-one sparring sessions between students, with an instructor overseeing their fights. The place looked like an authentic martial arts temple, reminding Ash vaguely of a Buddhist temple she visited once a long time ago.

Back in her college years, when she was still young and trying to find her place in the world. Back before the war with Outworld, and the changing of Earth’s history forever. She remembered being on her way to her apartment when the skies darkened at daylight hours, and storms swept the streets before cackling monsters descended upon them. 

She refocused as they reached a set of double doors, with the armored ninja, Cobalt, guarding them as sternly as ever. Silently, he moved to open the doors for them, permitting them to enter a large, spacious room with padded flooring. The walls were decorated with marble pillars depicting dragon guardians watching over them. A wooden table, clean and polished but old, sat at the center with incense burning and a tea set resting on it. 

A pillow sat on each end of the table, presumably for sitting. Inka silently gestured for her to enter, being uncharacteristically quiet for once. Cautiously, Ash approached and took a seat on the cushy, red pillow. The smell of incense was both foreign and somewhat calming, but here she was, being hosted by a clan of assassins and warriors she knew of only by their deadly reputation. While she shivered still because of the cold, part of it was because of how much danger she was really in. 

She was a soldier, trained to fight and to kill and to anticipate death. But the calm before the storm was always the worst part. It churned and ached in her belly, and froze her blood within her veins. No amount of training could prepare someone for it, and Ash felt foolish for trying to think she could be brave at a time like this.

Before long, the doors at the opposite end of the room slid open and revealed a pale man in blue robes. He had dark, swept back hair and a beard that hid his mouth. His eyes were an icy blue, with a long scar running down his right eye. His arms seemed to look… somewhat cold, almost frozen, and a strange medallion was worn on his sash. It was silver in appearance and had a foreign symbol on it that reflected blue in the light.

“Hello, Miss Fields. I’ve been told much about you.” the man greeted, his voice deep and somewhat husky. Strangely, compared to his more eastern subordinates, he appeared… almost American, with more thick, Nordic facial traits almost akin to a stereotypical viking. The way he moved and talked was more akin to his fellows, but something about him felt… different than the rest.

Ash sat in awe of him for a moment. His rugged appearance yet somewhat noble attire… the briefings always showed him with his mask covering his face. She had no idea he was so…  _ handsome.  _

Clearing her throat, she stood awkwardly and bowed before him “Master Liang- Er... Grandmaster… right? Or just… Sub-Zero?”

Chuckling a bit, the man entered and the doors closed behind him, presumably via guards, with him setting her at ease “Master Liang is fine. Unlike my brother, I am not one to stand on ceremony when it is needless. Please, sit, and tell me what brings you to Arctika.”

Taking his own seat across from her, Sub-Zero began the process of making tea for his guest. Watching actual, authentic tea being ground and put into cups with hot water poured into them was fascinating to Ash. She struggled to explain and watch at the same time “I was sent by Captain Briggs with my team to meet with the Mangu clan. There was talk they had dealings with the Black Dragon… After Kabal’s death, they just sort of went underground.”

Sub-Zero nodded “General Blade still harbors animosity toward Kano over their history. Her obsession with the Black Dragon’s destruction is proving counter-productive towards protecting Earthrealm.”

Ash shrugged and dismissed the politics of Earthrealm. “I wouldn’t know anything about it.” The Mortal Kombat tournaments in Earthrealm and Outworld were now a big deal, though much of it was still not known about. What is known is that General Blade and Major Briggs participated and helped Earthrealm win, but it didn’t seem enough as not long after, Outworld invaded. That was Earth’s darkest day... 

“You underestimate yourself, Miss Fields.” said Sub-Zero as he finished making them tea, setting her cup near her. She took it and sipped it a bit, regretting it for how hot it was. She did her best not to make a face at how pained her tongue was. He continued “A desert is nothing without the sand that comprises it.”

Snirking a bit at that, she remarked “You get that from a fortune cookie?”

His expressionless face told Ash that he was unamused. “You remind me of a certain man who helped us defend Earthrealm during the tournaments. He did not believe in the wisdom of his comrades either, at first.”

Frowning, Ash apologized “Sorry… I just… This is all a bit out of my area of expertise. I was sent here because I know how to fight and repair comlink relays. All of the specialists on this mission are… well…”

“Dead.” answered Sub-Zero, his face stoic and cold despite the harsh truth in his words. 

She looked up at the man and her face hardened into a glare “Yeah. Dead.”

Lifting his cup to his mouth, Master Liang sipped his tea. He didn’t seem to flinch, and when he set it back down, it was no longer producing steam from the top like it had been. He states “Your comrades have fallen, but it is not your fault, Miss Fields. You need to learn to accept death in your line of work.”

She retorted “Easy for an assassin to talk about accepting death, this was my first field mission. Before this, I was a desk jockey at headquarters.”

Then Sub-Zero did something that Ash did not expect. He smiled, and assured her “Our clan has a history seeped in bloodshed, Miss Fields. Like the Black Dragon, we doled out death and suffering and profited from it. But this is the case no longer. I teach these students our traditions so that we may protect Earthrealm, and in doing so, protect ourselves. I am not telling you to disregard the loss of your friends, I am telling you not to be consumed by it. That is a pit that is difficult to climb out of.”

Ash pondered on this for a moment, before asking, her voice low “Why am I here?”

Sub-Zero’s eyes narrowed towards her “Because there are worse things out in those wastes than yetis and rival clans. Things that lurk in the darkness, and have killed some of our patrols as of late. We do not have the means to transport you to the nearest city. As of right now, this temple is the safest place for you.”

What was he talking about? What threats? “Do you know what they are?” she asked, her brows furrowing inquisitively.

His gaze fell on the table, as if recalling something lost to him, and he remarked absently “All I know is they are not of this world.”

_ Oh god… _

Ash’s mind revisited the horrors she witnessed during the Outworld Invasion. Streets littered with corpses, giant monsters lumbering across bridges, and mutants with mouths filled with sharp teeth impaling people on blades that protruded from their arms. 

She remembered ushering her elderly neighbor into her apartment when one such monster busted into the complex, snarling at them like some sort of animal. Drool spilled from its mouth, and the blades that came out from its arms came out with a sharp “crack!”

Ash barely had enough time to level her handgun at its head as it charged toward her, firing off a round just as a building was collapsing nearby. It thankfully drowned out the noise of the gun, and the bullet ripped through the creature’s head and painted the hallway with its blood. 

Ash entered her apartment to find a small imp eating her neighbors’ face. She unloaded her gun into the creature’s body, and not long after screamed as her apartment collapsed around her. She spent the remainder of the invasion unconscious, buried under debris with several ribs cracked and a broken leg. 

She awoke a few times, hearing distant screams and sounds of gunfire, but after a while each time she would slip back into unconsciousness. Finally, after about a day, she awoke to ambulances and military personnel digging her out of the wreckage. She could barely breathe, her body was covered in dust and dried blood… And she watched as the men pulled out what remained of her neighbor. Doris, her name was, old and sweet. She did not deserve what happened to her, and her death haunted Ash for the rest of her life.

Snapping back into reality, Ash inquired nervously “You mean… Outworld?”

Sub-Zero sat there silently before admitting “I do not know. The Emperor’s death has left Outworld in anarchy, from what I have been informed. Numerous warlords now vie for control. I do not believe this threat to be from there, but it is hard to tell.”

She noted “You fought in the invasion, right?”

The man merely nodded silently, his gaze fixed on something absent… a memory or two. He turned and looked at her, forcing the nervous girl to avert her gaze for a moment. She looked back up at him and gestured to her right eye, asking in reference to his scar “Is that how you got this?”

He merely shook his head and stated “No.”

She squinted a bit and delved “Well… then how?”

“Loyalty.” he answered cryptically. Ash simply  _ loved  _ these mysterious ninjas, with their riddles. 

“So… in the meantime, while I’m here, what should I… What  _ can  _ I do? I mean, you’re giving me room and board and all, and I gotta keep my mind occupied. I’m going half insane in that room.” asked Ash, hoping he could provide some sort of elite Lin Kuei training to keep her occupied.

He reclined a bit, declaring “You will assist the staff with their daily chores, while one of our people heads to the nearest village to make contact with your superiors.”

“Why not just… take me to the nearest village so I can get on the fast track to going home?” she asked, a hint of impatience in her tone.

“As I’ve said, our lands are not safe. Transporting you would be careless, and I risk much by sending one of my own out alone on such a mission, but they are well-trained.” he explained, sipping his tea once more.

Ash furrowed her brows at him accusingly “And I am not.”

Sub-Zero lowered his cup and clarified “If you wish to brave the wastes of Arctika on your own, I cannot stop you. But aside from the harsh climate, territorial beasts, and other dangers, you will be on your own, wounded, and without the necessary equipment to survive such a trek. Your impatience will be your undoing.”

Ash stared the man down angrily but simply gave a tired sigh and asked “What kind of chores will you be having me do?”


	3. Bitter Chills

Kuai sat silently as his council convened, with Frost being ever the vocal Duìzhǎng. He stroked his black beard that held small flecks of grey from age as she demanded “This American cowgirl is an outsider, with no place in our halls! Her very presence is a stain on our honor. We would be well rid of her.”

Tempest fired back sternly, his dark hair pulled back in a long knot “She is a pup, wounded and left without her pack. Our truce with the OIA has granted us many concessions, harboring her against the storm is honoring this truce.”

“It’s a sham,” retorted Frost dismissively, “This truce is just an excuse for their bureaucratic agents to keep us on their leash. Grandmaster, I move that we have this woman left in the snow. If the wind does not kill her, the wolves will.”

Kuai narrowed his eyes at her sharply “You would have us abandon our honor just like that, Feng Mian? Have you learned nothing from my teachings?” His usage of her given name was an easy tactic he used to imbalance her. Frost was, unlike her name, hot headed and rigid in discipline. She craved authority, respect, and recognition. But Sub-Zero knew she craved his approval most of all, and reminding her of their close connection was usually enough to cool her temper.

It seemed to work, as the masked girl’s fiery gaze softened into an apologetic one “My apologies,  _ sifu _ , I just… do not wish to betray the security of the clan to this outsider. You know what is wisest, of course, and I will follow your decision no matter what it is.”

He nodded in gratitude to her and turned to Shroud, noting “You have been silent for this entire meeting, Song Fei. Do you have nothing to say about the situation?” Kuai only realized after he had spoken that the hooded woman was meditating, her hand dipped in her shadow before snapping back into reality.

Turning to face him, she states “The girl is awake. Inka is tending to her. Should I send Cobalt in to speak with her?”

Kuai shook his head “No. Let the girl rest and, when Inka returns to bring her supper, have Cobalt join her then. Make sure she stays in her room for now, the last thing we need is an outsider wandering our halls without escort.”

Tempest folded his arms, asking aloud “The matter of this girl can wait. What matters to me are these attacks. Nian Zhen was killed near the Gài cí pass, south of a frozen river. No tracks were found, and the wolves detected no scents for miles. But the place had an… otherworldly ki.” His voice trailed off, leaving the five shinobi to ponder what could leave behind such an aura.

Frost spoke up first “Outworlders?” She sounded almost eager, knowing not the ferocity of a Tarkatan’s blades or a Shokan’s strength.

“I do not know. It felt like… tar, almost. Ashy, choking…” Tempest described, his brows furrowing as he struggled to recall the sensation. He was the Lin Kuei’s expert on the supernatural and arcane, and even he had trouble with this matter. Few knew of Arctika’s wastes or the secrets it held, and few cared. To most, the landscape was a desolate, cold, and unforgiving place that snatched life as easily as breath.

And yet someone managed to kill an experienced shinobi in their own territory. “It could not be Tengu, could it?” asked Kuai curiously, hoping for a more natural reason for the death. 

Tempest merely shook his head at the man “No, Grandmaster… this man couldn’t have been killed by Tengu, nor any beasts these wastes know. It was… calculated, precise, and… gruesome.”

Kuai had been told the man had been bisected, his torso suspended by nails on a tree with his entrails hanging out. His lower half had not been recovered. A horrible way to die, alone in the cold. Nodding, Kuai measured the decision before stating “I want all of our patrols recalled back to the temple. All brothers and sisters beyond our borders must stay away for now while this security threat is determined and contained.” 

Frost immediately piped up “I volunteer to lead this investigation,  _ sifu _ . I will not rest until the perpetrator’s head is at your feet.”

Kuai responded sternly “You will help me investigate the matter, Frost. I will not risk our fellow Lin Kuei against this threat.” 

She nodded, her eyes shining in the dim light of the room. Kuai knew the girl would be useful, and it provided an opportunity for him to keep an eye on her. Dark rumors circulated in the halls regarding his protege, and he hoped some time spent with her might be able to alleviate some of his worries.

“If there is nothing else, brothers, sisters, I believe that concludes our meeting.” declared Sub-Zero, standing up from his chair at the circular table. All four stood and bowed to him, with Shroud exiting through a shadow on the wall and the other two leaving via exit, with only Frost remaining behind to speak to him directly.

“ _ Sifu _ , I must know… this girl… what are your plans for her?” she asked, her eyes tracing the floor as if struggling to find the words.

Kuai raised his brows at her and noted “You are concerned.”

She nodded “I am. She is a threat, not just to us, but to all you have built. You remade the Lin Kuei, you saved our Order from destruction.”

“A destruction it brought on itself, Feng Mian. I would not have us repeat our history. We are killers no longer.” assured Kuai, his gaze firm yet soft. He would be a liar if he said he did not have a soft spot for the girl. She, too, had his gifts… and all the burdens that came with them.

She stared at his chest before meeting his gaze hesitantly “You saved me… Before I joined this clan, I was no one. Isolated, hunted for the very powers that drove me into exile. But you recognized my greatness.”

Kuai rested a hand on her shoulder, which seemed to startle the girl a bit “I saw your potential, young one, as have I for all of our students. You are one of my most prized pupils, Frost, and I see a spark of greatness within you. But you must temper yourself. Your arrogance and impatience are shackles weighing you down, and your… animosity towards outsiders… it is a poison. Need I remind you of what happened to Sektor and those who chose to follow him?”

“No,  _ sifu _ … I just worry. Of all the times for us to be burdened with the Americans’ problems…” answered Frost warily.

Kuai removed his hand from her shoulder and walked with her toward the exit “We are all of Earthrealm, Frost. We must stand together now, especially after what we’ve seen these past few years. I will not always be here to guide you all, and I want this clan in good hands after I meet with my ancestors.”

His hand gently found its way onto his medallion on his sash, its silvery smoothness both a comfort and a foreboding chill of Kuai’s eventual fate. He could feel the outline of a dragon on its surface, curled up and powerful.

Frost gave him a worried look “Do not say such things,  _ sifu _ . They invite bad fortune. For now, take rest. We can set out at dawn to deal with these interlopers.”

Turning to her, he placed his right fist to his heart and recited the Lin Kuei’s old words “Silent as the night…”

She returned the gesture, finishing the line “...and deadly as the dawn.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kuai stirred as he dreamt of battles past. The crackling of his ice sword against his brothers’, the sounds of Tarkatan snarls and gunfire, metal swords clanging… He saw his brothers’ killer, Scorpion, standing before him in the Netherrealm. His eyes were pure white, his face masked by a metal, scorpion-shaped mouth cover. He drew his fiery sword and, when Kuai tried to summon his ice powers, they did not answer. Nothing happened. He felt frozen, unable to move and barely able to breath as the specter approached.

He heard Quan Chi’s deep voice call out “Kill him.” and then his older brother call out “Kuai!”

_ “Get over here!” _

Jolting awake from his bed, Kuai sat upright, his broad chest rising and falling in panicked breaths. His bed was practically frozen, with sweat dripping down off his body and then freezing as quickly. 

Nearby, Jushiro sat upright, his icy blue gaze falling on his caretaker as his grey, furred body rested near the entrance to Kuai’s chambers. His tail didn’t sway, a sign he was worried. This room was likely chillier than during the day due to Kuai’s night terrors. 

Panting and wiping the sweat from his brow, Kuai called over with a weak smile “Here, boy.”

The massive Direwolf runt stood up, trotting over to the bed before hopping up onto the fur-made blankets that covered Kuai’s body. The large beast rested beside Kuai, panting happily as its bushy tail swayed. He gave the wild hound a friendly scratch of his ear, a small smile worn on his face as he recovered from the event. 

Third time this week has Kuai awoken from the horrors of his previous conflicts. His brother, the tournaments, Sektor, Cyrax, Smoke…  _ Scorpion _ . It was a fight he had lost, and should have died in. What possessed the specter to spare Kuai that day, and not Bi Han? Was it even his decision, and not his dark masters whims?

He threw up the blankets to climb out of bed and leave it for Jushiro to sleep in, resigning to wake up early and get a bath. His muscular body was pale and covered in scars, with a lightly haired chest and icy sheet covering his arms. His cock hung down to his thigh, and his toned arms were like small tree trunks.

He stepped into his rooms adjacent bathroom, with a stone-made tub with a seat built in where he could sit as the hot water filled it. For Kuai, the water was steaming and would easily burn the skin of a normal being, but his icy disposition demanded it. His powers cooled down water as quickly as it touched him, and he needed to relax. He breathed a sigh as he submerged his body up to his neck in hot water, the room filling up with thick steam. 

Taking a breath, he pondered the events of the morning. Routine chore listings, lessons for the day, an inspiring speech for the students… Things Kuai was not ready for. If anyone had told him five years ago he would be leading the Lin Kuei clan, he would have dismissed them. Now here he was, planning a day in advance like a leader. 

His thoughts fell on Sareena. The girl was an inspiration to him, and was one of the few people to capture Kuai’s heart. He remembered her fondly - him unbinding her from Quan Chi’s control, their trek from the Netherrealm, their shared night of passion in that cave…

He closed his eyes and saw Sareena, with her short, dark hair with a silver streak in it, her tan skin, and her strange but exotic markings over her eyes… She bore her breasts to him and smooshed them against his face, giggling in pleasure at his awe. Before Kuai knew it, he had an erection in the tub. Seeing no other opportunity nor a reason not to indulge himself before a day of labor, he slowly gripped his shaft and began stroking it, sitting up from the bath and using a nearby body oil for lubricant.

Before long, the towering man was in a heated rut, imagining his firm grip as the tight walls of Sareena. Even after so many years, he could remember her squeals and moans as if it were yesterday. How he had her on all fours, driving into her like a feral beast. The bearded man grunted deeply as his cock grew to greater lengths, pulsating at the chance of climax.

He felt himself making the climb towards ecstasy, the pressure building in his nethers as he stroked off at greater speeds.  _ Almost there… Sareena… yes~ _

“Master Kuai.”

Sub-Zero jolted a bit and turned as he shot an excessive amount of cum forward, spraying Shroud in the face. The white goop covered her mask and the center of her nose as she stood, half-emerged from his shadow, staring wide-eyed at him. 

The two stood where they were for a moment in shocked silence, unable to form words from how awkward the situation was. 

Finally, the girl’s gaze fell on his lengthy manhood and, slowly, her hand was produced from the shadows bearing a gesture formed from her index and thumb making a ring. 

“Song Fei! What have I told you about not entering my chambers like this?!” he demanded in a harsh growl. Cum dripped from his member as the girl retrieved a rag from her sash and began to clean herself off.

“Apologies, Grandmaster. I thought it prudent to inform you that the girl is wondering the halls unabated. I came to seek your counsel on what to do about it, but you seem to have an answer.” she teased, seemingly enjoying their moment. Shroud was one of Kuai’s first students, though the two were roughly the same age. 

Her amusement in the situation surprised him. Beyond being assaulted with the man’s hot spunk, he had figured a long time ago that Shroud preferred the company of women. 

“Well, just… send her back to her room! I will meet with her later!” he demanded, eager to have the woman’s intrusive self out of his sight.

He noticed her mask wrinkle a bit as she smiled beneath it, disappearing once more back into the shadows. The day had barely started and already it was strange. Sub-Zero felt this was a bad omen. 

Cleaning himself off, he promptly donned his battle attire and left his room, with Jushiro yawning on his bed. He headed to the tea hall where breakfast was being served, with only a handful of warriors and students in it. They bowed their heads to the Grandmaster as he passed them by, rubbing one of his eyes as he tiredly made his way toward the soup lady, who was pouring them all some salted broth from a pot.

He bowed to the elderly woman, who barely seemed to notice who he was, and proceeded to collect some rice into a bowl with some wooden chopsticks. Finally, he found himself a seat at a wooden table, with a tea making set at the center. He meticulously began the process, pondering on how best to approach the day’s challenges. His trek with Frost could take a few hours and leave the restless soldier waiting, but it was best to assess security threats quickly and decisively. The American could wait.

 

* * *

 

 

The frozen wastes were nothing to Kuai anymore. He barely felt the cold anymore, and it did nothing to hamper or harm his body. He and the cold winds were at peace. His pupil, on the other hand, had to bundle up in thick furred armor to survive the biting cold.

Frost was layered in a thick suit of wolfskin, her blue gaze following Sub-Zero’s movements. They moved slowly through the trees, with Kuai in lead and Frost as backup. As the man tried to discern what could have made such swift cuts into the bark they were near, he heard a sound. A snapping of twigs. Forming an ice sword quickly, he moved toward the source and took a combat ready stance. Frost followed, drawing upon her powers to form a pair of small ice daggers.

Kuai was surprised to find a wapiti, moving its head up to watch him in turn. The elk did not blink, merely sniffing the air to discern whether or not it should flee. Kuai relaxed his stance, breathing a sigh of relief. Then he jolted as a dagger of ice flew past him into the beast’s hide, causing it to cry in pain and clumsily try to flee.

“No! Wait!” he cried as his protege sent her second dagger into the animal’s heart, killing it.

Clenching his teeth, he demanded “Why did you do that? The animal was no threat to us! It was grazing!”

Frost looked at him with surprise and explained “For food,  _ sifu _ . Those at the temple should be grateful we brought back this meat.”

Sub-Zero growled sharply “You did not have to kill it. We have enough provisions at the temple to last us a whole winter!”

“Provisions of rice and broth and tea? Master, you can survive on such a diet, but the rest of us… we need more.” she explained, gesturing to the dead animal.

He scolded her “The one who searches for more yearns forever, Feng Mian. You may bring back the beast, but in the future, you will defer to my judgement before making such rash calls.”

She bowed her head to him “My apologies,  _ sifu _ …” Taking a breath and looking at the dead elk, he pondered on the future of the Lin Kuei… and its past. 

He remembered a time when Sektor took him and Smoke out hunting in the wilds when they were all young. Kuai hated it even then. He did not enjoy doling out death and suffering, but he understood its necessity from time to time. Not like Bi Han, who glorified it. Perhaps that was what lead to his death.

“Come, we must determine what could make these marks in the woods and then vanish without a trace.” called Kuai, worried for his clan’s safety.


	4. New Purpose

Kuai and Frost returned with a dead wapiti and no answers, the only clues being left behind by the assailants were deep carvings in the dead trees of the area where the dead brother was found. Blood had stained the area, and Kuai feared the worst. He could sense a blizzard approaching, and the distant skies over the mountains were dark with a storm.

He and Frost carried the dead animal on a stick, with the girl noting “A storm is coming, _sifu_. We should barricade our temple and prepare.”

Kuai nodded “Yes.” They’ll need to send out a foraging party afterward, gather some more firewood and supplies from the village.

As they approached the temple, a long silence followed, with Frost finally asking “ _Sifu_ … Are you still angered with me about the elk?”

Kuai paused for a moment, wondering if she had still been thinking about that. He felt a bit of guilt, having been a bit sharper than needed over such a matter. Finally he answered “I… apologize for how sharp I was, Feng Mian. But you must understand, our clan’s history is not one I wish to repeat, where blood is just currency.”

“ _Sifu_ , you know me. I would never compromise our clan or its ideals. I am just concerned. We are very remote, relying on the charity of farmers and swineherds to survive. And with this storm coming…” explained Frost, her knee-high boots nearly knee deep in snow as they trudged toward the temple.

Kuai nodded in understanding “I know, Feng Mian. But we will survive, as we always have… together.”

Another brief silence fell between them. After a few minutes, Frost asked “What are your plans for the American?”

“I don’t have any yet, but we cannot send her away with this encroaching blizzard and other threats. Not while she is injured, especially.” confirmed Sub-Zero, knowing he would have to meet with the girl once they arrive. He was exhausted, his muscles ached from the heavy snow resisting his movements, and he longed for solitude to meditate on these events. But all that had to wait. He was nothing if not a gracious host, and he would not continue to keep the agent in their temple without properly meeting her.

Upon reaching the temple, the gates opened with a guard calling out to them to get inside quickly. By this time, the blizzard was on their heels, with only an endless darkness outside of their temple with heavy bombardments of snow falling. Upon entering the courtyard, Kuai and Frost handed the dead wapiti off to a pair of initiates to take to the kitchens as he called out “Gather the fire wood! Let the long hall stay warm through the night! We will be all sleeping there tonight to avoid the bitter cold!”

Kuai would be undisturbed by the freezing winds, but he needed to be with his people this night. The long hall would be full of blanketed people huddling together for warmth. He needed a better insulation system - something he could talk to General Blade about. This temple was built more as a fortress than a home, but the years have not been kind. Time has chipped away at the stonework, with cracks expanding thanks to the freezing water.

 

* * *

 

The meeting with Miss Fields had been… interesting. She had more insight into the situation than was ascribed to her, and she had spirit. But her recklessness reminded him all too much of a certain pupil of his. Some would blame that on her American upbringing, but those were short-minded thoughts. All walks of life had the potential for wisdom and ignorance.

Kuai escorted the girl to the long hall where the servants had amassed several cots, bedrolls, and blankets for the long night. The fireplace at the end of the hall burned bright, and hot stew was passed around in wooden bowls for everyone. “Tonight is a night of endurance and tribulation, Miss Fields. Many here are old, or sick, or are young. They do not have the training to endure such a storm, and even those that do will be faced with a blizzard the likes of which we have not seen in some time.”

Ash looked up at him, a puzzled look on her youthful face “I don’t get it, why is this place so poorly insulated? Surely the Special Forces look after you guys.”

Folding his arms, Kuai explained “This temple was built long ago, a relic of an age long past. Time has taken its toll on it, and we do not like to rely on the charity of others to sustain ourselves, though that may seem necessary now.” The hope was to restore the temple to its former glory, but the process has been slow as efforts seem to be more geared toward training initiates than rebuilding a fortress.

“So… where am I sleeping?” she asked, looking at the multitude of bedrolls that were occupied by others.

Kuai escorted her down the hall and gestured to a cot neatly placed close to the fireplace, stating “As an honored guest, you’ve been given this cot. Pork stew will be provided to you shortly with bread and tea. I will be here throughout the night to offer strength to everyone present.”

Shroud’s head emerged from a shadow on the floor cast by the fireplace, greeting “Grandmaster, Miss Fields.”

Ash stumbled back a bit, gasping at the sight of a head just appearing on the floor. She winced a bit at the sudden movement. “Would you stop that?!”

The hooded woman seemed to not pay her any heed, simply looking up at Kuai and stating “The storm has reached us. As per your orders, the guards have left the courtyard and entered the main hall. Torches have been lit, and Inka is currently dispensing bowls of stew to the guards on duty.”

“Good. Thank you, Shroud.” stated Sub-Zero somewhat awkwardly. He still felt strange about the previous morning, though thankfully she seemed to have changed her mask.

Instead of any response or affirmation, her hand dipped up out of the shadows and formed the similar gesture from the previous morning, flustering Sub-Zero a bit. She let out a low chuckle before disappearing back into the shadows.

Ash gave him a strange, concerned look but he shook it off. “Shroud is one of our… more strange sisters. Unlike most, who come to us seeking aid or enlightenment, Shroud came for riches. She learned quickly that we are not what we once were, but by then she had grown fond of our Order and remained, or perhaps she simply has nowhere else to go.”

Ash grimaced, noting “She seems a bit… weird. Like, what’s with the shadow teleportation?”

“She has always had that gift, and has never explained its origin. We know her as a Sciomancer, capable of bonding with spirits of Askhora… the Shadow Realm. She can do much more than simply travel with it.” he explained, watching the shadows cast on the walls from the fireplace. He added “She is our most gifted student.” Her work as the temple’s sentry has been vital to its security, capable of seeing through almost every shadow in the temple and discerning threats to the clan. She has repelled spies from the rival clans, thieves, and even hungry yetis during her service, and has attained a seat as one of Sub-Zero’s closest confidants.

Nodding, Ash returned to their original topic “Well, as honored as I am by the gesture, Grandmaster, I think someone else could better use the fire. I’m a Special Forces operative. I’m trained to sleep anywhere.”

Sub-Zero’s brows raised, impressed by her humility and willingness to sacrifice comfort for another. “Are you certain?”

Ash smiled up at him and nodded “I am. Hell, if you need someone to pass out blankets and pillows, I am up for it.”

The girl had Kuai’s respect. She was an honorable soul, willing to do such work for complete strangers. Placing a hand on her bandaged shoulder, which seemed to make her stiffen, he states “You are an honorable warrior, Ashley Fields, and are a welcome friend of the Lin Kuei.”

Smiling up at him with a nervous cough, she replied “Er… don’t mention it.”

 

* * *

 

Night fell hard on the Lin Kuei temple, with the wind howling and thrashing against the stone walls like a ravenous beast. Kuai sat on a bedroll on the floor, the farthest away from the fireplace where several cots and bedrolls had been formed around. His legs curled around one another in a sitting pose, he had his eyes closed and his arms resting on his legs as he meditated.

He sensed only darkness outside of their walls. Numb, cold, and hollow. The only sounds that filled the hall were the howling of the wind, a few coughs or silent chatter between those present, some snoring, and the crackling of the fireplace. He was accustomed to silence where he slept. This would be a long night. Thankfully, he wouldn’t be waiting it out alone. Curled up at his side was Jushiro, who was breathing heavily as he slept.

Nearby, Kuai noticed Ash staring in awe at his canine friend, her eyes big in wonder and curiosity. Chuckling, he gestured for her to join him on his bedroll. He scooted back to make room for her as she quietly joined him, careful not to gain the attention of the sleeping Jushiro.

“Dude, your dog is _massive_!” she whispered over to him as she joined him. Jushiro picked up on that, his ears perking up but, otherwise, he remained still.

Kuai chuckled again, clarifying to her “He is a Direwolf, though he was the runt of his litter. Abandoned by his pack, I found him out in the wilds and tended to him. A hunter had him in a snag, but I tended to his injured leg until he recovered. We have been inseparable since.”

She made a move to pet him but hesitated, looking to Kuai silently for permission. He nodded and she gently proceeded, placing a hand on his head to stroke his grey fur. He awoke to his, his tired, blue eyes fixing on the hand that was petting him. He gave a few small sniffs to it before determining the girl to not be a threat, affirming her with a small lick to her wrist.

She gasped, not expecting the show of affection, and smiled big at Kuai as she scratched behind his ears. “Such a good boy~ Does he have a name?”

“Jushiro,” answered Kuai, recalling the origin of the wolf’s name, “I named him after an old friend that died when I was young. He was a good man.”

Her smile faded though she continued to pet the wolf, looking to Kuai with sadness in her eyes “I am sorry.”

“Do not be. It was a long time ago, and the boy is at peace. He will never go on to know the hardships that we who remain do.” he explained, remembering the big smiles his friend used to make. He was a goofy fellow, a Japanese orphan living the life of a street urchin in Hong Kong. Like Bi-Han and Kuai, he stole money just to survive. One day, Jushiro stole from the wrong man and suffered for it. When Bi-Han enacted revenge and succeeded, the Lin Kuei took notice and swept the two in off the streets.

And so began the chain of events that lead Kuai to this spot. His training, the tournaments, the Cyber Initiative… it all lead him here, to becoming Grandmaster. He liked to think it was Jushiro guiding him, and working through this Direwolf to protect him.

Then he heard Shroud’s voice through a nearby shadow “Grandmaster! We have intruders!”

Standing to his feet quickly, with Jushiro also standing in alertness, Kuai demanded “Who? And from where?” Ash looked up at him worriedly. How could they have been infiltrated? In this storm? Or perhaps… the storm had been cover.

Shroud replied quickly “Our perimeter guards in the courtyard were cut down. I did not have a chance to see who or what. I advise you barricade the long hall and dispatch Cobalt and Tempest.”

“Agreed.” affirmed Kuai, turning around to pick up his mask from the table behind him and don it. Calling out to those present, he roared “Wake up! Lin Kuei, wake up! We have intruders!” He shouted commands out in Chinese for the warriors to begin barricading the doors. Turning to Cobalt and Tempest as they rushed to his side, he ordered “Take a squad each and fan out. Whatever moves, cut it down.”

Tempest demanded “Grandmaster, what is attacking us? Tengu? Mangu?”

Tying the Dragon medallion onto his waist with his sash, Sub-Zero replied “We do not know. Shroud, offer tactical insight to our guards as best you can and keep all eyes out.” He had a bad feeling. There were omens, yes, and then there were the feelings he was having… the kind one had when something terrible was about to happen.

The two took several shinobi with them into the halls before the doors were closed and locked. After a few minutes, Shroud confirmed “I see them! Warriors in black!”

Sounds of battle could be heard outside of the long hall. Metal clanging against metal, sounds of screams, and quick footsteps like people running. Frost rushed to Sub-Zero’s side, passing a distrustful glare at Ash. She demanded “You! Do you lead us into treachery, American dog?!”

Ash glared back at her “Fuck off, my men are dead! These guys are not Special Forces!”

It was true. If it were, there would be sounds of gunshots out in the hallways. Sub-Zero shot a sharp glance at Frost to silence her, then turned his attention to one of the locked doors barricaded with furniture.

Silence fell, and Sub-Zero summoned a pair of ice swords in caution. Frost did the same but with daggers, with Ash calling out “Shroud, talk to us! What are we dealing with here?!”

Silence. No response from one of their best. Sub-Zero stepped toward a door, not eager to simply wait for death, and commanded “Wait here while I-”

He was cut short as dark smoke funneled into the room from the door. This was not genuine smoke like from a fire, it was more… controlled and concentrated. Which could only mean…

The smoke filtered into the room and formed a cloud around the three, leaving them coughing profusely as the room filled with black-clad shinobi, each seemingly appearing out of thin air.

They began to systematically cut down the warriors while restraining non-combatants, leading them into the center of the room like cattle.

As Sub-Zero moved to intervene, he felt a hard blow to his face that splintered his mask a bit. He saw no attacker, but could smell blood regardless. Then another sharp jab in his side sent him to the floor. The smoke concentrated in front of him, forming the outline of a figure. Then it materialized into his old friend,

Smoke had been cyberized, his body now a chassis of sleek, silvery metal. Exhaust vents on his back released a constant spray of smoke, with red screens for eyes staring down at Kuai. The Grandmaster struggle to breath out “S-Smoke…”

The machine aimed a hard punch into his jaw, sending him flying into the table nearby. Frost angrily snarled as she charged at the machine, sending her sharp ice daggers swinging at him violently. He dodged each attack before aiming a hard punch to her stomach followed by a kick to her knee, sending her to the tiled floor.

Ash was grabbed by one of the black shinobi and dragged into the pile of huddled servants and initiates, wincing in pain at her wound being aggravated.

Frost struggled to breath as Smoke grabbed a handful of her spiky hair, forcing her head up to stare at Sub-Zero. His lifeless red eyes watched his former friend as he struggled to his feet. A hot bubbling of black tar began to surface on the floor next to Smoke, and from this pool of hot darkness emerged a figure, solid and strong. Like the rest, he was a shinobi clad in black though rather than robes, this one wore hooded armor. His eyes were a lifeless white, with an angular mask covering his face. A pair of black katanas rested in sheaths on his back, and he folded his arms at the sight of Sub-Zero.

“So… the mighty Sub-Zero, in the flesh. To say I am unimpressed would be an understatement.” mocked the shadowy figure, his white irises staring at Kuai with apathy.

Kuai took a battle-ready stance and greeted “I do not believe we are acquainted.”

The figure did not return the stance, merely approaching him idly “We are more well acquainted than you know… Kuai Liang.”

Kuai’s brow raised, his confusion deepening “Who are you? Why do you attack my people?!”

The man introduced himself “I am known in the Netherrealm as Noob Saibot, Master-at-Arms for the Brotherhood of Shadows. I believe you already know Smoke.” He gestured to the machine, who stood still as a statue.

“Intimately.” spat back Sub-Zero at what was left of his old friend. Sektor had twisted Cyrax and Smoke both into horrible monstrosities fit only for his psychotic ends.

This “Noob” stopped his approached, standing a few feet away from Sub-Zero, his arms now behind his back. “I attack your people because there is something I am after.”

Sub-Zero looked down at his medallion and took a guess “You’re after this, I take it?” He gestured to the small artifact at his waist and was surprised when the figure rolled his eyes.

“A primitive Outworld trinket? I think not. What I am after are three large eggs, no larger than a human head. I believe you have a map detailing where to find them.” answered Noob, his voice deep and somewhat otherworldly.

Kuai immediately knew what he was talking about. In his chambers there was an old book that came with a tattered map of Botan Jungle in South America where, the book insisted, lay a brood of ice drakes native to Outworld that had been transported to Earthrealm for their own safety when Shao Kahn had begun hunting them down and enslaving them.

He never thought anything of it. They were under the protection of Raiden, not the Lin Kuei. “What do you want with these dragons, demon?”

Instead of answering the question, Noob responded by creating a physical shuriken out of the tar-like substance on his body, flinging the projectile at a woman in the group - a young initiate. The bladed weapon embedded itself in her neck, causing blood to spurt out onto Ash’s face. The horror Kuai felt was visible - he knew that girl, watching her progress through her training for over a year.

A heavy weight fell in his gut as he turned to Noob and roared in fury, summoning a large sword of ice and aiming several hard swings at the man. Rather than attempt to block, he side-stepped each strike before blasting Kuai with a blackened slab of ice that coated his chest and made him - for the first time since he had begun mastering the medallion’s power - feel cold.

Shocked by the man’s power, he looked up at him and asked “H-How?!"

Noob answered coldly “I wore those colors longer than you have, _brother_.”


	5. Broken

Kuai was reeling, his mind felt like it was ablaze. “Bi-Han…?” He was not there for the Mortal Kombat tournament where Bi-Han had died. He was told it had been Scorpion that did it, revenge for the annihilation of the Shirai Ryu. Over the course of the second tournament, Kuai along with Smoke, uncovered the plot that Quan Chi had arranged with the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.

This arrangement was for the massacre of the Lin Kuei’s rival clan, though their leader, Hanzo Hasashi, had been resurrected and empowered by the sorcerer. Somehow, Bi-Han had been implicated in the Shirai Ryu’s destruction. Granted, there was bad blood between the two clans and it did seem like something Bi-Han would be complacent with… but nothing he was capable of.

This Noob figure stood still, staring down his former brother, and explained “In a sense. I have been reborn in the flames of the Netherrealm as Noob Saibot. Quan Chi enhanced me, gave me new purpose.”

Kuai spat out “Destroying your own clan?!”

Bi-Han merely chuckled beneath his dark mask “I am Sub-Zero no longer, brother. That mantle belongs to you now. I am here on business for my master. The sooner you give us what we want, the sooner we can leave.”

Kuai pounded the slab of dark ice on his chest, shattering it, before declaring “Let us just settle this, Bi-Han. You and me. No one else has to die here.”

“Wrong.” replied Noob, glaring at the man as he summoned another black shuriken into his hand threateningly. He continued “The longer you deny me this map, Kuai Liang, the more your people will suffer. Is that what you want?”

Kuai growled out “What happened to your honor, Bi-Han? What happened to you?! I remember a time when this clan was all you cared about.”

Pacing towards him, Noob commented “Ever the bright-eyed boy with dreams, eh, Kuai? Honor served little purpose in Earthrealm, and it serves even less in Hell. Now… before I kill another of your people, tell me where to find this map. Did the Grandmaster hide it?”

Kuai glared at him and answered “You want it? It’s in our archives, in the restricted section.”

The shadowy wraith huffed in doubt “We checked there already. Try again.”

_Damn…_ Kuai had hoped their search in the archives would buy him more time to think, as well as rally his limited forces. They were caught completely by surprise. But how? No human being could survive that storm outside, though they demonstrated quite well that they were anything but human.

Kuai seemed to hesitate longer than Noob cared for, as he aimed a shuriken toward Ash. Her eyes lit up in fear as the man prepared to throw a ninja star with all the speed of a bullet toward her. Kuai roared “ **Stop**!”

Noob complied, waiting for Kuai to finally tell him what he wanted to know. With a deep sigh, Kuai confessed “It is hidden in my personal library, bottom shelf. It’s inside the book with the dragon symbol.”

Noob looked toward Smoke, who disappeared into a cloud of vapor that traveled into a nearby crack in a wall. A chilling silence fell over the room, with Noob and Kuai staring at one another. After a while, his cohorts cleared the barricaded doors so that Smoke could re-enter with the book in one hand and the map in the other.

“You always were the negotiator, brother. But I applaud your decision. It was most wise.” mocked Noob towards his sulking brother, who silently glared at the floor waiting for them to leave.

Then the sound of gunfire rang throughout the hall. _One, two, three, four…_

Kuai looked up and watched as Ash had brandished a pistol and fired it into four of the assailants’ bodies. Before she could aim it at Noob’s head and fire, Kuai heard the dragon book clatter to the ground and, as quickly as it had, he saw Smoke appear behind the girl and restrain her.

Noob turned and walked towards her, freezing Kuai in place when he moved to intercept. “You have fire, little one. You would make an excellent Shadow-sister.” he noted, complimenting her in a twisted fashion while eyeing her with his dead eyes.

“Go to hell.” she spat with venom in her tone.

Chuckling, Noob reached her and taunted “I’ve already been, child.” Turning to Kuai, he declares “Your cowgirl here cost me four of my Shadow-brothers. But because of our history, Kuai Liang, and because I am a fair man… I’ll only reap the one.”

Summoning a black katana in his grasp, he plunged the weapon into Ash’s stomach. Kuai cried out “ **No**!” His blood froze as she let out a pained groan, her teeth clenching and her eyes shutting tight as he twisted the weapon in her gut before removing it. Her dark blood splattered on the ground, with those around her gasping in shock and looking away in horror.

The girl had been stabbed by a blade tainted with the Netherrealm’s unholy aura. If the wound itself would not kill her, the poison within her surely would. Noob allowed the sword to fade into nothing, turning to walk over and pick up the book and map that Smoke had dropped rescuing him. “Now, I hate to cut this reunion short, but I have business to attend to.”

His underlings rounded up the corpses of their fallen and Smoke released the wounded Ash, walking over to them and spraying them with some sort of wrist-mounted solvent, melting their dark forms into liquid.

Turning to Kuai, Noob gave a sarcastic Lin Kuei bow “Live well while you can… _brother_.”

And like that, the assailants dissipated into puffs of black smoke. Smoke, himself, evaporated into a cloud of smoke and traveled through the door. The two closest people in Kuai’s lives had just killed some of their own people. Frost summoned a small ice hammer and began cracking away at the ice holding Sub-Zero’s feet, freeing him. Panting, he turned to Frost and commanded “Secure the temple. Round up who you can and have them rally here. We must tend to the wounded.”

Frost demanded “What about the girl?! Where did she get that gun?!”

Sub-Zero turned and roared “ **Now, Frost**!”

The girl fell silent before giving a quick bow and turning to do as commanded.

Kuai rushed over to the wounded Ash, who was panting and being held by some of the servants. Moving them aside, he examined her wound, which had already started to blacken from the corruption. “Why? Why did you do that?!” he demanded of her. She did not respond, merely tensing while her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

They did not have the healers necessary to tend to such a wound. They were isolated, understaffed, during a blizzard. Turning to the healers, he commanded “Do what you can for that wound. Keep her close to the flame.”

Turning to walk the halls of his temple, he found it littered with bodies. Students of his, proud Lin Kuei warriors massacred on the very steps they called home. Bodies had been piled up in some rooms, others left to rot where they had died. Entering the armory, he found a wounded Cobalt propped against a wooden pillar by a sword in his stomach. Rushing over to him, Sub-Zero gasped “Cobalt! Cheng!”

He hurried and removed the blade quickly, freezing the wound so that he would not bleed out. He helped wrap the man’s arm around his shoulder and walked him to the exit “What happened?!"

Cobalt faded in and out of consciousness, answering “Attacked… in the armory… Tried to… secure… Inka… Where is Inka…?”

Kuai had not seen Inka in the long hall for some time. Paling, he answered while trying to remain calm “I am… sure she is unhurt.” Why was the man so concerned with Inka specifically? Their entire temple had been attacked.

He escorted Cobalt to the long hall where the healers tended to him alongside Ash, then returned to finding other survivors. He momentarily passed by Frost, who gave the man a wary look of concern. They passed by so many dead… Kuai felt like screaming and crying, pounding his fists against the wall. He needed to remain calm. The dragon medallion would sense the storm in his heart and make his destructive impulses reality.

Finally, after having combed through the entire eastern side of the temple, he moved onto the west. He found Shroud, locked within the reliquary. She had been sealed inside an urn, but he could hear her crying from within “Somebody! I am here!”

Hurrying to her, he cried “Song Fei! Shroud, what happened?!”

“I was ambushed trying to warn you, master… There were so many… They wielded dark magic. I could not fend them off. They sucked me into my own shadows and locked me within this urn…”

Why had they not simply killed her? Perhaps she proved too illusive for them to properly kill. Or perhaps they were simply too concerned with their main objective.

Opening the urn, her shadows spilled out onto the floor like a puddle of water. She emerged from them, breathing heavily as if she had been suffocating. “Thank you… master…” she panted with exhaustion.

“Are you able to stand, move? Use your powers?” he asked, helping her to her feet.

Nodding, she admitted “That urn has strained me but I can do my best.”

He looked around the room warily, ordering “Do a quick sweep of the temple, find any stragglers and survivors and let me know of their position. Then meet us all in the longhall.”

She nodded and stepped into her own shadow as if descending a stairwell. Turning, Kuai left the room and made his way to the barracks, finding the place littered with dead servants and initiates. Poor pups, cut down like animals… Bi-Han would answer for this. They would _all_ answer for this.

He noticed one girl in particular, laying in a pool of blood. Her dead eyes stared up at the tiled ceiling, with a deep gash in her chest from a stab wound. Kuai recognized her upon approach… _Inka_.

Kneeling down and cradling her lifeless body in his arms, he finally allowed himself to weep quietly, away from the others. He held her close to his chest, feeling how limp and weak her form was against his. She was always kind and gentle, too much so to be a warrior. But she was always diligent in her duties. While others may have complained about chores, she gladly offered herself to better the clan. He remembered her big smiles every day… pouring him tea, greeting him in the hall… He would remember it until the day he died.

Quietly, he prayed. He prayed for the first time in five years. He prayed to gods he did not believe in until he saw their power in Outworld. “Lord Raiden… Elder Gods… hear me… I call to you a… desperate man, humbled by tragedy and death… please… I ask you of nothing more than your aid. Help my clan and I swear our strength to Earthrealm. Save us, and I will devote myself and my clan to wisdom and to peace. Please…”

A few seconds passed, and the seconds turned into minutes. Minutes of him kneeling in a pool of blood on the floor, cradling a dead girl young enough to be his child, feeling a weight in his chest that felt like the wound in her own. He contemplated death… of running a sword of ice through his own chest. He had failed his people, his clan, his family. A warrior without honor was no better than one of the corpses on these floors…

Then he heard a spark from behind him, a crackle, then a thunderous boom. Turning in shock and readying an ice sword in hand for whatever came next, his tearful gaze fixed on the figure standing over him. Draped in white robes and a large straw hat that almost obscured his white gaze, Lord Raiden stood before him in the flesh.

“You have called to us in your hour of need, Kuai Liang. I have answered.”

 

* * *

 

Kuai stood next to Lord Raiden over his bed, with the American girl laying in it. The thunder god’s arms were folded across his broad chest as he commented “Miss Fields has been struck by a Netherblade - a foul source of dark energy found in the bowels of the Netherrealm. Without help, the girl would die in hours. I can stave off the effects for a time, but it is not a cure.”

Kuai looked down at the girl and explained mournfully “She is in this state because of me. I should have-”

“There was nothing you could do, Kuai Liang. Miss Fields has reaped the consequences of her bravery.” reproached Raiden, gazing down at her festering wound.

Kuai glared at him and insisted “Her bravery was meant to protect the lives of my people. Her wound was not her fault.”

Raiden turned to him and chastised “You know better than that, Grandmaster. The girl was unprepared, and knew not what she was doing. I am not saying she deserved her fate, but I am saying there is wisdom in knowing when to fight and when to wait. Ashley Fields demonstrates much courage… and much talent.”

Narrowing his brows at the thunder god, Kuai questioned “What do you mean? She is a mere soldier of the west.”

“You and I both know there are more to common folk than appearances offer. This Ashley Fields radiates a strong aura of unknown origin. I can temporarily stave off the corruption inside of her, but only the Frost Dragons of Edenia can purge what ails her.” explained Raiden as his fingertips lit up with electricity. He let out a few small surges of lightning into her wound, causing her to clench up in pain.

“The Frost Dragons? They are what Bi-Han- ...Noob Saibot was after.” Kuai explained.

Raiden did not look at him, focusing on his healing of Ash as he explained “He seeks their blood. The Frost Dragons of Edenia are descended from the Great Drakes of old, who ruled the realm during its first age. Their blood is rich with the magical current that binds the realms together. It is my belief… that this Noob Saibot serves a darker master than Quan Chi, and seeks this blood as a means to release him.”

Kuai nodded “Botan Jungle… that is where they have gone. If you would send me there, I would be in your debt, Lord Raiden.”

He seemed to have finished his healing, as he stopped and turned to Kuai with a look that the Grandmaster almost thought was approval. “You aided Earthrealm twice in your efforts to defeat Shao Kahn’s forces, Kuai Liang. You have taken a great step in the path of redemption for your clan. I will help you, and together we may protect Earthrealm from his threat. You have my word.”

The promise of a god was nothing to be squandered. Forming the Lin Kuei bow, Sub-Zero expressed “You have my deepest thanks, Lord Raiden. I will not fail Earthrealm.”

“And neither will I.” added Ash as she sat up from the bed, clutching her stomach with a small squint of pain.

Kuai looked to her and quickly diffused “You are in no condition to join me on this mission, Miss Fields.”

Raiden interjected, explaining “I have healed Miss Fields’ physical wounds and staved off the corruption while restoring her stamina. She is fit for the field.”

Ash complained “Anything for the nausea?”

Kuai gestured to her while looking to Raiden “She is untrained.”

She objected “Hey!”

He rescinded “Untrained compared to what threats we face.”

Folding her arms across her bandaged chest, she retorted “I’m sorry but I don’t remember being the one who got frozen like a half-eaten burrito _twice_.”

Raiden looked to Kuai and advised “I will give you both thirty minutes before you decide. We must act quickly, these assailants demonstrate a teleportation ability I have never seen before. They are most… illusive.”

Disappearing in an explosion of static that knocked papers across the room, Raiden was out of sight of their following conversation.

Kuai announced “When Lord Raiden returns, you are to tell him that you will remain here at the temple until I have determined from the dragons how to cure your ailment.”

She responded by blowing some sort of tongue-based insult at him, followed by dismissal “If we’re going to… Boh-tan jungle? Butt-on? I will need my weapons and gear.”

Kuai sharply shot it down “Absolutely not. How did you even acquire your weapon earlier anyway?”

She pointed at him and stated “In my defense, I am a Special Forces operative. Disarming me was illegal courtesy of article 13.”

He turned his back to her, hiding a smile at how full of dung she was. “To hell with your articles, woman! You nearly died because of your recklessness! Or worse, you could have jeopardized the lives of…” He cut off, refusing to place blame for endangerment when he still felt the sting of guilt fresh in his heart.

Climbing out of the bed, she walked up to him while he turned to face her, for the first time noticing how much shorter she was compared to him. Her head met his chest so she was forced to crane her head up to look him in the eye “Look… I know you want to… avenge your people and save me and do all that hero shit, but… Protecting Earthrealm? That’s kind of my job too. And I owe you all for saving me. So… I am not taking no for an answer.”

He could not help but smile weakly and clarify “I could just freeze you here, you know.”

Ash smiled and pressed an index finger into his chest “Try me with that shit, Master Kuai, and I will seriously dropkick your head.”

He huffed out a small chuckle before remarking “ _Měiguó rén_ …”

Furrowing her brows up at him, she asked “Wait, wh-what’s that mean?”

He turned to leave and she followed, asking further “Seriously, what’s that mean?”

 

* * *

 

Kuai waited outside of the armory doors and called in impatiently “I can have one of the servants see if you are sized correctly.”

“The fuck does that mean…?” Ash called back to him from inside. He must have missed something because her toned sounded offended.

He clarified “It should not take this long to don a suit of armor, Miss Fields.” Her Special Forces uniform had been rendered unusable by the yeti that had attacked her in the snow, so it was ancient Lin Kuei armor for Ash. The problem was that, while the girl was fit and capable of feats of great athleticism… westerners were generally taller and stockier than their eastern counterparts, and this reflected in the first two robes she attempted to don. The first was too tight, and the second she had ripped with her great… chest.

“This one fits a little better, but… it’s kind of… weird.” noted Ash from inside.

Kuai squinted at the door a bit and asked “Weird… how?” He knew these armors were old but the servants tended to them with complete care. They were cleaned daily!

He heard her voice mumble a bit from inside and barely made out the words “It’s a little on the… _skimpy side_.”

Kuai defended the armor “My ancestors were not wimpy, Miss Fields, and I would remind you to show respect.”

Lord Raiden approached from down the hall, having been waiting for them to be ready an additional twenty minutes. He marched toward the armory at a quick pace, demanding “What is taking so long? The forces of darkness could be there any minute!”

Kuai folded his arms and nodded toward the door “Miss Fields dishonors my ancestors’ uniforms.”

“I do not!” she called out from the room.

The thunder god shook his head “This is a fruitless distraction. Miss Fields, come out now or be left behind!”

“S-Shit… alright! Just… Kuai, if you laugh, I will punch you in the rib right in front of Lord Raiden!” she announced before opening the door, revealing herself in a Lin Kuei marauders uniform.

Raiden simply stared at her with a neutral expression while Kuai looked puzzled, alarmed, and… he hoped… not enamored by her sizeable bust that was close to being on full display for the two. A pair of blue cloth fabrics lined down to the waist, covering them, but just enough for her to be considered decent. “W-Where is the undershirt?” he asked, hoping his voice did not crack as bad as he thought it did.

Looking at him with eyes wide, she demanded “ **What undershirt**?!”

He gestured to her scantily-clad uniform and stated “The undershirt that came with the uniform!”

She gestured back into the room and declared “There was no undershirt in there! I looked all through that armoire and dresser and found only this!”

“Lies! There was a night blue undershirt that came with that uniform! It was made of reinforced iron weave!” argued Kuai, doing his best to meet eye contact with the girl while her ladies were out in full view.

She gestured to them, causing him to cover his face with one hand, and asked incredulously “You think I _want_ my funbags out for them all to see?! Yeah, my master plan was to flash Noob while you hit him over the head with an ice mallet or something.”

Raiden roared “Enough! That will have to do. I sense dark movements in the jungle, we have to move fast.”

Kuai nodded to the thunder god while Ash merely looked distressed and groaned quietly “ _Fuck me_ …”


	6. Welcome to the Jungle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Six chapters! Sorry this one took so long to put out everybody! And thank you for sticking with it so far, hope it has been enjoyable! As always, feel free to leave comments letting me know what you think. Hope you enjoy the second to last chapter of the first act!

The sensation of being teleported was new to Ash, especially with weird lightning magic. It did not hurt like she thought it would, but it did leave her with a tingling sensation in her bones. And vertigo.

Her first act upon landing in the jungles of Botan was to find a nice bush to puke in, much to Shroud’s amusement. Kuai brought a few veteran warriors with them to help in the fight against Noob and his shadow cronies. One of them was brought by Raiden - some samurai-looking man with a red blindfold and a katana. 

She weakly groaned after churning out that morning’s rice and stew, with Shroud patting her on the back and saying “Easy there, Annie Oakley. It is just teleportation.”

“Yeah… sure…” moaned Ash with a thumbs up before wiping the grossness from her face with a rag.  _ Just  _ teleportation, she says…

Kuai and Raiden were speaking with the blind samurai while the rest of the group scouted their position. The ground was muddy and gross, and flies were  _ everywhere _ . Shroud must have noticed a swarm of mosquitoes taking a liking to the scantily-clad girl, using the shadows of the tree overlooking them to engulf them in a net of crushing darkness, much to her relief.

“Thanks.” said Ash, checking her guns to make sure the teleportation process did not mess with them. 

Shroud smiled at her from beneath her mask and nodded “Anytime.” 

They approached the three leading this mission and Ash piped up “Alright so, what’s the plan here? These, uh… dragons… they in some cave somewhere?” 

The blind-folded man nodded to her and she could feel a voice within her head explaining “ _ There has been a complication. The Red Dragon clan has taken an interest in these dragons, and their leader has made active attempts to breach the magical shrine hiding them. _ ”

Ash gasped, backing up a bit “Woah! What the hell?!”

Smiling, the man diffused “Sorry, I know that can be… unsettling, the first few times. I am Kenshi, a solo operative working jointly with the Shirai Ryu and Special Forces to bring down the Red Dragon clan. They operate heavily in this area, and Lord Raiden and I are concerned that they may be working with these shadow assassins that assaulted the Lin Kuei temple.”

Ash held out a hand for him to pause and stated “Okay, so you’re throwing alot of shit at me right now. Telepaths, dragons, conspiracies… Like… who are even these Red Dragon guys anyway? I know of the Black Dragon clan but never a Red Dragon one.”

Sub-Zero answered for him “The Red Dragon clan was the Black Dragon’s precursor, the latter formed by deserters of their clan. They are a syndicate of mercenaries, sorcerers, and world leaders united under a singular goal of conquest.”

Ash folded her arms at him and raised a brow “So they’re, like, the Illuminati?”

Shroud turned to her and asked “With all that you have seen, a secretive group holding influence on Earthrealm is doubtful to you?”

She shrugged. “Fair. So, we gonna go get these guys or what?”

Kenshi clarified “I am still undercover with this group. They cannot know my true allegiance or my mission will be jeopardized. And, unfortunately, they have technology made to detect and inhibit Lord Raiden’s abilities.”

Raiden stiffened uncomfortably at the thought and commented “Further evidence that they have been dabbling in dark magics.”

Ash grimaced.“We’re not in a good situation here, then. Last time, they cut us apart.”

Kuai glared ahead down at the jungle below them, toward a set of ruins in the distance “Last time they caught us by surprise. Now, we are the hunters… and they are the prey.”

Ash nearly shuddered as he said that. Something about the man’s deep, gravelly voice and big muscles made her inner tiger want to pounce. Which lead Ash to wonder what the man’s sex life was like. Likely awesome, surrounded by all these hot ninja mamas. 

“I can scour the area surrounding the ruins for any sign of these men.” volunteered Shroud, her shadow beginning to form a pool for her to step into.

Kuai gave a concerned look to Shroud and nodded, commanding “Be swift and silent, Shroud. If you feel you have been compromised, do not engage. Retreat back to our position so that we may fight as one.”

Made sense to Ash. They were uncoordinated and unprepared when attacked before. She looked forward to seeing organized Lin Kuei in action. She has heard stories in the hallways and offices back home but this would be her first experience seeing real life ninjas fighting. In any other world, that would seem totally stupid.

Nodding, Shroud descended into her shadow pool, the dark form dissipating afterward. 

Turning to the rest, Sub-Zero nodded and announced “We make our way to the shrine. Thank you for your aid, Lord Raiden. I will keep in contact as the situation develops.” He gave a bow to the thunder god who returned the favor.

“Be cautious, Kuai Liang. These are not tactless Tarkatans you are facing.” warned Raiden. With that, he placed a hand on Kenshi’s shoulder and the two disappeared with a crackle of lightning. 

Turning to Ash, Kuai noticed her firearms and asked “Is there a chance you are trained in swordplay, Miss Fields? I fear the noise of your weapons may draw unwanted attention.”

Scoffing, Ash shook her head “Yeah, no. I’m Special Forces. Guns are kinda my thing.”

With what Ash barely registered as a sigh, the Grandmaster resigned “Very well. Come, the frost dragons await.”

 

* * *

As the group descended deep into the jungle, with the Lin Kuei warriors cutting away at the foliage with their swords, Ash found trudging through the mud in her knee-high boots difficult. The stuff was thick and tried to keep her foot stuck many times. Adding to the difficulty of their trek was Ash’s periodic flares of pain from the corruption inside of her. Several times she had to take a breather due to the taint taking its toll within.

Apparently, according to Raiden, this affliction was more a spiritual thing than a physical one. Nothing tylenol could touch. She panted while leaning against a tree for support as the group waited for her. Finally, Sub-Zero approached and demanded “This takes too much time, Miss Fields. Forgive me.”

“Wait, what are  **yOOOU** -?!” cried Ash as she was picked up and carried by the powerful bear of a man. His hands were not as cold as she expected, but still sent a chill up her spine. He walked over to the rest of his warriors and nodded for them to continue their journey, carrying Ash like a child effortlessly. “Is this entirely appropriate?” she questioned, her heart hammering in her chest as she felt the man’s cold hand on her bare thigh. 

He looked away, appearing somewhat embarrassed by the breach of social norms and replied “I apologize for this, but we need to make haste and your breaks are slowing us down.”

Noticing a bit of areola slip, she quickly moved the cloth to cover herself better, though she was sure he caught a nice peek.  _ Great. What a wonderful way to improve relations with our allies. Nice job, Ashley.  _

After a few minutes of walking through the seemingly endless jungle of eternity, they finally got word from Shroud. Ashley heard her voice through the shadows of the canopy “Grandmaster, I have been unable to locate the ruins concealing the dragons. It appears it moves. No matter how far I travel, I cannot seem to reach it.”

Well that explained why it was taking so long. Ash groaned “Great, some more sorcery. Why not?”

Kuai ignored her and suggested “The temple is not moving, it is glamored. I’ve seen such magic before. We will have to split up, find clues as to where the ruins truly hide.”

Ash volunteered “I’d like to go with Shroud.”

Both Shroud and Kuai asked in unison “Why?”

Shrugging, she offered “Because if I become a liability to this mission, Shroud can send me back to safety with her weird shadow magic. And as fun as being carried by you is, Master Liang, it’s getting harder to protect my boobs and panties from your sight like this.”

He passed her a look that just screamed “And whose fault is that?!” though he said nothing. As if pondering on it for a moment, he acquiesced “Fine. Shroud, keep a close eye on her. If her condition worsens, let me know and send her back to the rally point. I will contact Lord Raiden to return her to the temple.”

A pool of shadows appeared before them as she confirmed “Very well.”

Moving back to drop her in, Kuai smirked a little as Ash panicked and cried “N-No no no,  **wait** !”

He flung her like a helpless carp into the man-sized shadow hole, only for her to land in Shroud’s arms. For being as small as she was, the woman caught Ash like it was nothing. Smiling down at her through her black, cloth mask, the woman greeted “Hello there.”

Ash was merely wide-eyed and fetal like a kitten being held by the scruff. “H-Hi…” she greeted weakly.

She set Ash down and watched as the girl gripped her stomach in pain briefly. The panic-mode must have upset her condition. Shroud noted “Your condition worsens…”

Ash nodded, seething in pain as she held her guts. It felt like Noob was stabbing her all over again… It was not this bad back at the temple.

Shroud held her in a comforting hug and whispered “Breathe… calm your spirit. Chant with me.” She proceeded to whisper some weird Buddhist shit into Ash’s ear. Ash internally shrugged and went with it, anything to dull the pain she was feeling. Chanting with the ninja girl seemed to calm her nerves and, with it, her pain. 

Ash breathed a sigh as Shroud released her, smiling at her and saying “Thanks… You’re alright, Spook.”

Shroud furrowed her brows at her inquisitively and asked “Spook?”

Ash chuckled and explained “Yeah… ‘cause you spooked me… when we first met…”

It took Shroud an uncomfortable period of time to understand it was a term of endearment, but when she finally gave the “Ahh” of understanding, she gave Ash another warm hug. It was both weird and comforting to the brown-haired soldier. 

“Er… you’re a hugger, huh?” she noted with an awkward smile. She was not used to so much hugs. 

Shroud explained it “I sensed your detached heart when I embraced you, Ashley Fields. You are lonely. I want you to know you are not alone.” She complimented this by lowering her mask and hood, revealing a rather lovely face with snowy-white hair and grey eyes like little storm clouds. For being a mysterious ninja who could melt into shadows and use them to molest people, she was Vogue-cover worthy. A stunning 10/10 in Ash’s book. Compared to her own short and rugged hair, short frame, and masculine arms, she felt like an ogre in comparison.

“Wow. Uh… thank you? But I’m not lonely, I have… plenty of friends back at HQ.” Ash defended, feeling a little exposed by how much Shroud was figuring out about her.

Nodding her head for them to continue on their path, Shroud added “Friends from work are not  _ jiātíng,  _ Ash. They are not ones who hug you and tell you your life matters to them. From the moment I saw you skipping through the hallways of the temple like the floor was made of hot coals, I knew you were a good person.”

Well now Ash just felt foolish. Not just because she apparently pranced like a trained horse through the temple and was seen doing it, but because she assumed Shroud - and by extension all Lin Kuei - were just cold, rigid robots who felt no love or expressed any joy or laughter. She was learning a lot about Shroud - a lot of things she liked.

“Well… thanks, Shroud. What’s your real name? I would kinda prefer to call you something other than Shroud.” expressed Ash, though she had to admit, Shroud was a pretty cool name. Way better than “Sub-Zero”.

“Song Fei.” answered Shroud as they walked. 

The two got to talking on things such as their past and where they were during Shao Kahn’s invasion. While a sore subject for Ash, she felt comfortable around the white-haired woman. After finishing her story about her apartment complex and her witnessing her neighbor get chowed on by some demon, Shroud offered her a sympathetic glance. “I am sorry. I was fortunate enough to be away for much of the fighting, honing my talents in the Shadow-realm.”

Ash raised a brow at her and asked “The Shadow-realm? What’s that?”

Pondering for a moment, she answered “Think of it as… a pool of water. When you stare down at it, you see yourself… your reflection. When you move, so does your reflection. This is true for shadows as well, and like both shadows and reflections, the Shadow-realm shows us the world as we know it, but… different. It only shows us what we can perceive or, in my case, what others can perceive as well.”

Ash was getting a headache from this explanation, and scratched her head in thought “This, uh… sounds a bit over my head. But you can use it to spy on people?”

She nodded with a smile “I can watch others through shadows as if looking through a window. I can control my own shadow like a puppet and use it to affect others.”

Ash felt brave enough to ask her next question “You, uh… ever use it to spy on the Grandmaster?”

Chuckling low, Shroud admitted “From time to time.”

“How’s his, er… y’know?” she asked with a blush tinting her cheeks.

Shroud remained silent, but responded with a smirk and a hand gesture of her index and thumb fingers forming a ring. 

Ash laughed at this, demanding to know more “That good?”

“Better.” replied Shroud with a smirk as she kept her eyes sharp, not wanting their fun conversation to distract her from potential ambush.

Before she could react, Ash was shoved by Shroud into some nearby foliage as the ninja girl evaded an oncoming shuriken made of shadows. It impaled the ground and evaporated into black smoke. 

Shroud jumped into the shadow cast by a tall tree, but was flung back out. She landed on the ground and looked to the shadow in terror as Noob emerged from it, chuckling as he mocked “You are not the only one who can traverse the Shadowrealm, witch.”

She threw a sharpened kunai at the man, who deflected it with a Nether-sickle. Ash drew her gun and, as she aimed at him, he must have noticed her for each following shot he evaded by teleporting into puffs of black mist. She stood and dropped the weapon, drawing her second and taking aim as he marched towards her. 

Noob halted in his tracks and looked down to notice his shadow being gripped at the ankle by Shroud’s. He aimed his Nether-sickle her shadow’s wrist and slashed across it, causing the female ninja to cry out in pain and clutch her bleeding wound. She reached out to her shadow and it enveloped her bleeding arm like a bandage, though it quickly formed into a large gauntlet. She stood and growled, aiming a sharp punch at Noob with this shadow-made fist. 

He avoided each heavy strike with ease, and counter-attacked with his sickle though her gauntlet managed to parry each strike. Ash took aim at the man’s head and waited for an opening in which she would not hit Shroud by mistake and, seeing it, fired. The gun sounded muffled as Smoke appeared in front of her, grabbing the gun directly with his metallic hand, causing a ringing sound as metal hit metal. 

“Holy sh-” was all Ash managed as she felt the thickest slab of metallic skull hit her own she had ever felt. She fell to the ground, sure she had a concussion, with a ringing in her ears. Did a train fucking hit her? Blinking as her sight became blurred, she felt the machine grab her tunic to lift her up. The lift exposed her breasts to it and she called out in a daze “Hands off, dick waffle!” She aimed a hard knee to his groin, only to be met with further pain and a loud “clang!”

“Oh… goddamn…” she groaned, before feeling the cold rush of air against her skin before being slammed into the ground hard, her back feeling the brunt of force. All air escaped her lungs in a choked out gasp of pain, the ringing barely stopping enough for her to hear Shroud grunting and the sounds of impact between their weapons.

She had to stand… had to fight. She had lost her weapon in the struggle and fumbled around on the ground for it. She felt what she thought to be her gun but soon realized was only a rock. Before she could make any plans for her newfound projectile, she felt a sharp kick in her side. Her eyes lit up as her breaths became ragged.  _ There goes a rib _ …

Compounding the issue was the resurfacing of the Nether poison’s effects, an infectious pain spreading out from her stomach after Smoke’s kick had landed. Ash consigned to death, realizing she was starting to blackout. This was how she would die. Beaten to death by a robot in a shitty jungle.

One last strike to head and she was out, a lasting ringing being the last bit of memory she had as everything faded to black.

 

* * *

Ash awoke to the sounds of low growls and men chattering around her. Her knees hurt as they were pressed against rough stone and she found she could not move her arms or legs, her ankles and wrists bound by rope. Her eyelids groggily lifted a bit to find herself next to an unconscious Shroud, bound like Ash was. To Ash’s horror, she found her cloth robes had been torn off, leaving her completely topless.

She glared up to find herself surrounded by the shadowy ninjas from before alongside troops in red uniforms, a strange black dragon symbol on their shoulder patches. But that paled before what she found nearby, her eyes widening in shock upon registering a pair of colossal, sea blue dragons chained together.

One of them was a darker shade of blue and was clearly dead, its eyes pale and its throat cut down to the bone with blood oozing into large tubs. The other dragon was muzzled, the metal being used bearing strange runes. The large beasts eye was fixed on Noob, who was standing before it, the pupil being a thin, aggressive slit. Standing next to Noob was his robotic fucktoy, with some greasy trenchcoat-wearing scumbag approaching them.

The trenchcoat man had a pair of hook swords sheathed at his back, with jet black hair that had been slicked down like some evil soap opera villain. The interior of his trenchcoat was a bright red, with black, leather boots that came up to his knees. He looked like a classic movie villain from something Ash’s elderly neighbor would watch on television. 

“How much longer is this going to take? We are exposed out here, need I remind you, and Special Forces has birds everywhere.” asked the trenchcoat-wearing man with an impatient scowl.

Noob did not look at him, merely staring at the living dragon coldly and reminding him “It will take as long as needed. We cannot transport such large cargo back to the Netherrealm without a portal, and to take them back to your base would take too much time.”

The man crossed his arms and demanded “Why bother? We plan to take this one back to base after your done anyway, correct?”

Noob looked over at him and remarked “There has been a change of plans. The presence of these Lin Kuei all the way out here obviously means Raiden has caught wind of our plans. We will be draining both dragons’ blood here, and transporting each container one by one to the Netherrealm.”

The troops’ leader grabbed the wraith’s shoulder and growled “What?! That was not a part of our bargain!”

Smoke responded in kind, grabbing the man’s wrist and forcing it off of Noob. Judging by how the coat-wearing guy winced in pain, Ash guessed it was a tight grip. The troops around them aimed their weapons at Noob and Smoke, and the shadowy ninjas they commanded drew their swords in return. Ash hoped that these guys would waste Noob themselves and spare her and Shroud the trouble, but judging by how nazi-ish they seemed, the two girls were waist-deep in shit creek no matter the outcome.

Smoke released the man’s wrist and Noob warned “Careful, Mavado. This may be your jungle, but you’re far from home. These dragons belong to Quan Chi now.”

Mavado rubbed his sore wrist while glaring at Smoke before raising his hand to call off his men. They lowered their guns and Noob’s people sheathed their weapons, though they kept a ghostly watch on the soldiers to make sure they did not try anything. 

Finally noticing the awakened Ash, Noob strode over to her and noted “You finally awaken,  _ gāo bízi _ . Wearing what once was part of a marauders’ uniform.”

_ Fucking prick…  _

“Yeah, your brother neglected to tell me about the undershirt until it was too late. Anyway, who is he? Who are they? What is that? And what are *those*?!” asked Ash, nodding to Mavado, his troops, the dragon nearby, and finally to Mavado’s knee-high boots.

The hook sword wielding asshat looked down at his boots with a furrow of his brows critically as Noob huffed out in amusement, asking “You’re a comical little thing, aren’t you? Topless, surrounded by men who want you dead, and still you find time to jest. You remind me of that  _ guǐlǎo  _ in the tournament, whose every breath was spent in mockery of something or someone.”

He summoned a katana out of darkness and poised it close to Ash’s cheek. It made her skin itch and burn where it touched and aggravated the taint within her, her stomach feeling like it was on fire as she clenched her teeth in agony. Noob mocked “That is more like it. The corruption has been suppressed, likely Raiden’s doing. No matter. It will spread from your soul into every vein and pore of your body, leaving you a writhing husk who can’t even draw the breath to beg for the end.”

Through clenched teeth, Ash spat out in defiance “Cute story… That what you tell your boyfriends at night to get them hard?”

His lifeless eyes stared down at her coldly in silence before he moved the tip of the blade to her chest, inches from her heart. “Your death could be slow and last days… even weeks, if I wish. You’ll rot from the inside out, hoping for every second that the next will be your last. Or you could die now, quickly and painlessly. You could be with the rest of your godless ancestors. All I need in return for this mercy… is information.”

“Eat my ass.” she retorted, resulting in Noob kicking her in the gut and knocking the wind from her lungs. Between her broken rib and the corruption inside her flaring up, she was starting to get a vivid picture of what he had just described.

“Do not test me, wench! Tell me where your feeble comrades are and face your death with a fragment of dignity!” demanded Noob fiercely through his mask. His normally calm demeanor had been abandoned for one of fierce hatred and savagery. 

Before Ash could react, all heads turned as Smoke was encased in a pillar of ice. Loud clamoring of chains falling apart as well as the dragon’s muzzle rocked the ruins they were in, and the wounded dragon let out a fearsome roar that deafened the entire region. 

Sub-Zero appeared from behind the now-immobilized robot, raising an ice sword and announcing “Lin Kuei! Strike fast and hard!”

Appearing from behind stone pillars and dense foliage, the Lin Kuei warriors assembled and began doing battle with the soldiers and shadow ninjas. Blades clashed as the soldiers opened fire on the intruders, though their rounds were rendered useless against Raiden’s lightning as he formed a protective shield for the Lin Kuei. The thunder god stood atop a large, ruined building, watching over the Arctik warriors as they engaged the villains holding Ash and Shroud hostage. 

Ash watched as the chaos unfolded, with Noob and Kuai dueled with their respective swords. Their blades locked as the wraith growled “You should have stayed at home, brother.”

Kuai retorted sharply “You should have stayed  _ dead _ !” He formed his free hand into a balled fist of thick ice and rammed it hard into the wraith’s stomach, causing him to grunt in pain. Rearing back for another strike, Kuai was caught off-guard by Noob disappearing in a puff of black smoke. 

Mavado saw this as a moment to retreat rather than gamble against the combined forces of the Lin Kuei and the thunder god. Using a pair of sleeve-produced ropes of red color, he slingshot himself into a nearby building, abandoning his soldiers to their fates.

Awakening to the sound of battle, Shroud looked around, seeing her brothers cut down their enemies with renewed hope. Finding themselves outnumbered and their gun-toting allies being cut down by lightning and swords, the dark ninjas took to disappearing in puffs of smoke, grabbing large tubs of dragon blood as they did. 

Noob had re-appeared near one but, as he looked back at the interlopers, he quickly aimed a spiteful slash from his sword to the heart of the remaining dragon before it could chomp down him, splashing red blood across the stone floor. 

All stood in shock by the act, with Raiden calling out in horror “No!”

Noob, satisfied with his revenge, grabbed a remaining tub of blood and disappeared with it. Smoke, unable to join them while encased in ice, merely stood as a statue amidst the carnage of the ruins. Dead Lin Kuei, shadow ninjas, and red-clad soldiers littered the pavement. A Lin Kuei warrior quickly cut Ash and Shroud free, with another providing a small cloak for Ash to cover herself. 

She nodded momentarily to the man, grateful though every person involved in the event had seen her tits. Her embarrassment paled in comparison to her pain and the realization that, with the dragon’s death, so too was her fate sealed. 

Raiden teleported down to the dragon as it rested near its mate, with Kuai joining. “Keep an eye out!” he commanded to the rest of the Lin Kuei, nodding for Shroud to take to the shadows to watch out for any more sign of enemies nearby. 

Raiden rested a hand on the large dragon’s snout, closing his glowing eyes in quiet prayer. “I am so sorry, Kala…”

Ash jolted a bit as she heard the beast speak back, its words ringing out in her head similar to Kenshi’s “Do not apologize, Raiden. It is better this way. A life without Naru is no life. Our brood is safe.”

Kuai implored “Please, great dragon, my friend… she has been tainted by the Netherrealm’s influence. Lord Raiden has told us you are capable of purging such a corruption.”

The dragon’s eye fixed on Ash, making her spine tingle as she approached it. She heard the dragon reply to him “Yes, I smell it within her. The taint you speak of has spread too far within her, and has taken hold of her heart. It is not a poison nor a disease that can be cured by my hand any longer. It is a part of her now, and shall be until she has returned to the earth.”

Kuai looked at Ash and she swore she could see tears begin to form in his eyes. He gave out a weak “I’m sorry…” 

The dragon interrupted “There is a way. The taint is not a pure result of the Netherrealm. I smell the footprints of Earthrealm within it. The corruption cannot be cured, but it can be… changed. But to do so, requires great power… and a strong will. It is possible she may not survive.”

Kuai looked up at the dragon and asked “How?”

It looked down weakly toward him, specifically the medallion he wore on his belt that had the design of a dragon on it. She explained “The medallion you wear is an artifact of my people, harkening back to the days of my ancestors. Stolen by the Emperor of Outworld, and again by your forebearers. It has the power to amplify the abilities and potentials of whoever wields it… at a great price. But it can also be used as a conduit of sorts, to transfer power from one being… to another.”

Raiden nodded, looking from Kuai to Ash and explaining “I see… With the power of the medallion, Kuai Liang can gift his cryomantic abilities to Miss Fields, thus overwhelming the taint with the familiar Earthrealm aura within it that matches the one your brother had. This… could work.”

Ash coughed out “Sounds… great…” She coughed hard, spitting out a bit of blood onto the ground. 

Kuai nodded and bowed to the dragon. “Thank you, mighty Kala. Is there any way I can repay this act?” he asked.

The beast blinked for a moment before thanking him “You show an honor I have not come to expect from your kind, Earthrealmer. Your attempt to save me was… enough. I have sent my children to Edenia to be raised among their own kind. I ask that word be sent to them of our demise, and that we will watch over them.”

Kuai nodded in affirmation “I swear it shall be done, by the honor of my clan.”

Ash groaned and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach as Kuai helped her not to fall completely. “Miss Fields? Ash?” he asked worriedly, using his hand to support her head.

Kala urged him “The taint spreads. She does not have long. Do what you must… Earthrealmer…”

Ash looked up at Kuai weakly and noted “Kuai… you’re cold…”

Removing the medallion from his sash hurriedly, Sub-Zero began filling it with his ki, enveloping the artifact in frost. He urged her “Stay with me, Ash. You’re going to be fine.”

After he felt a sufficient enough amount of his ki had been filled into the medallion, he pressed it against her stomach where the scar was. The medallion began to glow as the frost melted onto Ash, her teeth clenching as she called out “C-Cold!”

Kuai asked worriedly as Ash lost consciousness “Ash?!”

He watched in amazement as her brown hair had begun to slowly turn white. Once it was fully white, he noticed she was not breathing. He dropped the medallion and placed his hand on her heart. Nothing. Quickly, he checked her pulse on her wrist. Nothing.

Kuai’s heart sank, and his tears he had been holding in all this time began to finally fall. Another life lost, thanks to him.


	7. Snowflake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! End of the first act! Sorry this update took a million years to churn out, a lot going on in behind the scenes. As always, thank you for reading this far and enjoying my work. Please feel free to leave a comment on what you liked, disliked, thoughts you might have, suggestions, etcetera. I live for that shit. Cheers!

Ash groaned a little - not from pain, but from grogginess. She felt like she had slept for a century, and was ready to curl up and sleep another. Blinking her eyes awake, she looked around. She was back in her old room in the Lin Kuei temple, with the same wooden night stand beside her old bed and the strange, blue torches lighting the room.

Was it all just a dream?

She was no longer wearing bandages, only a dark greyish blue set of pajamas though she was sure they were really something more like meditation clothes or some shit. She had three blankets covering her, and still she felt like she was freezing. Was that blizzard still going on?!

“H-Hello? Hellooo!” she called out. She then yelped as Shroud’s head popped out of her blanket in front of her, inches from her face. 

The girl’s grey eyes stared into Ash’s as she asked “You’re awake! How do you feel?”

“Freezing!”

“Are you hurting?”

“No!”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes!”

Shroud smiled and produced a hot bowl of stew from the blankets’ shadows, which Ash took and began chowing down like she had been denied food all her life. As she ate, she noticed just  _ how  _ hungry she really was. She felt like she could eat an elephant.

Shroud emerged from the blankets and sat with Ash on the bed, watching her eat. Ash normally did not like eating in front of others, but at this point, she did not care. She needed  _ food _ !

After damn near licking the bowl clean, she let out a small belch before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand “Damn… thanks. Can I get seconds?”

Chuckling, Shroud took the bowl and climbed off the bed, stepping into a nearby shadow on the wall while muttering “ _ Měiguó yězhū _ …”

“And bring some tea please!” called Ash. She recalled the moments before her being here, struggling to form memory. She remembered being in Kuai’s arms… She remembered a freezing cold sweeping across her body, as if submerging in an icy bath. Then more distinct memories surfaced. The jungle… the blizzard… Noob… 

She lifted her shirt enough to check her stomach and the scar Noob had left her. What was once a dark, infected-looking lightning bolt on her tummy now appeared like a faint jagged line. “Bye bye, bikinis…” she grumbled bitterly. She was going to miss her American flag two-piece. 

She heard a loud rapping at her chamber door and called out “Come in!”

The door latched open, with Kuai hurrying inside and looking somewhat panicked. He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her, and she could almost… feel it. His relief. Like a heavy burden being lifted off her shoulders. She smiled and lifted her hand off the bed a little to give him a tiny wave.

“Miss Fields, you… Ash… How do you feel?” he asked, feeling nervous. She felt apprehension. Was was this shit? She was now able to read his mind? 

She rubbed her belly and moaned “Hungry… cold… The hell happened, anyway? Last thing I remember was… I don’t even know. Us winning against Noob and his guys in the jungle and then, sort of… drifting off.”

“You… don’t remember anything else?” asked Kuai, approaching her bed cautiously.

She furrowed her brows at him suspiciously, noting “There’s something you’re not telling me. What happened?”

Looking down momentarily, Kuai looked back up at her and met her gaze, explaining truthfully “Your affliction was claiming your life. In an attempt to save you, I used my medallion - a powerful artifact - to bond my spirit energy with yours. Our souls became… intertwined. You briefly… did not survive the experience.”

“Shit am I a  **ghost** ?!” shrieked Ash, feeling half-dazed, half-excited by the prospect. Between the Outworld invasion and her literally watching teleporting demon ninjas fight, her being a ghost was definitely within the realm of possibility. Could she talk to other ghosts? Could she pass through walls like Shroud and watch Kuai in the shower?

“You are not a… ghost.” clarified Kuai, his brows lowering a bit as he seemed to struggle to process Ash’s own thought process.

She gave a somewhat disappointed grimace, but asked “So… everything’s fine?”

“Not quite.” answered Shroud, reappearing through the shadows with another bowl of hot stew and a cup of hot tea. She handed both to Ash and leaned over to Sub-Zero, asking in a somewhat hushed tone but loud enough for Ash to hear “Have you told her yet?”

“I was getting to it…” answered Kuai, giving Shroud a hushing look.

“Tell me what?” asked Ash as she spooned some stew into her mouth, immediately burning her tongue. She washed the hot meat down with some tea, finding it equally scalding. 

Folding his arms and collecting his thoughts for a moment, Kuai resumed his explanation “Lord Raiden was able to revive you, but the process left… changes in you, and… on you.”

Ash blinked and looked up at him with concern. His tone sounded serious and grave. “What… kind of changes?” she asked, worrying about what was in store for her. She held the cup of tea in her hand absentmindedly, her thoughts going to the worst of places.

He opened his mouth to speak but Shroud cut him off, explaining “Well, for one, your hair has taken on a familiar look.” She revealed a small mirror from behind her back and held it forward for Ash to get a look at herself. She was… different, for sure. Her hair, for starters, was a wintery white and her eyes are an icy blue. She breathed a gasp at herself, staring in complete shock. 

Shakily, she brought her cup up to her lips to wet her dry throat and found the once-hot tea was now more lukewarm. “What… happened? Is this, like, permanent?” she asked. It was strange. She liked the exotic look, but she already missed her chestnut locks. Now she looked so… alien. Like a completely different person. Was she even still Ashley Jean Fields?

Kuai gave a reprimanding look to Shroud and she shrugged in response to him “You should not sugarcoat this, Grandmaster. Miss Fields deserves the truth.”

Kuai sighed and nodded “This is permanent. You can attempt to dye your hair, but it won’t likely hold. Your body’s changes are similar to that of the taints’ - from your spirit outward. It is… not the only change. Your increase in appetite is a result of a great decrease in body temperature and, thus, to achieve homeostasis, it must add body fat to burn. Your cold feeling is a result of this change, but do not worry. There are methods to combat it.”

“What has… happened to me? What am I?” demanded Ash, shakily setting down her tea as she looked down at her hands, which seemed… oddly paler than the rest of her body. 

“You are a cryomancer, like I am and my ancestors before me. The Lin Kuei was built on the backs of my kind and their gifts. To save your life, I had to mutate your disease with ki it could recognize - my own, which was similar to my brothers’. This forged a link between us, and granted you abilities similar to mine.”

“No… no no no, I don’t want this, man…” breathed out Ash, looking down at her hands in shock. She started to hyperventilate, and felt her sweat freeze the mattress she was laying on.  _ So… cold…  _ Her body shivered uncontrollably, and she thought she was having a heart attack when suddenly Shroud took both of her hands into her own, staring into her eyes reassuringly.

“Ashley, look at me. Breathe. What you are now is better than dead. Trust me. We will look after you, make sure you are trained and taken care of. Right, Master Liang?” assured Shroud, looking over at Kuai.

He merely nodded in affirmation, his thoughts filled with worry and mixed emotions. Ash wiped tears from her eyes and hugged Shroud hard, sniffling as she stared ahead, her mind occupied with what she was processing. Life as a cryomancer. She definitely did not picture this on the plane ride to Arctika.

 

* * *

“Unacceptable!” barked Frost, pacing in front of Sub-Zero.

He furrowed his brows at his student, scolding “Jealousy is unbecoming of you, Feng Mian.”

“Jealousy?! This outsider, this…  _ gāo bízi _ … places your life in danger, gets our people killed, and is now welcomed in our ranks?!” insisted Frost, stopping her pacing to stand in front of her master aggressively. Her chest rose and fell from heavy breathing, and her eyes bore an intense hostility.

Kuai glared down at her and argued “Our people died because of Bi-Han, and she is now an untrained cryomancer with no grasp of the difficulties you and I face because of me. It is our duty to help her.”

“And what if she was the one who let your brother into our temple?! She stole back her weapons, clearly with the intent to use them. She seems to be more than willing and capable of deception.” retorted Frost, who resumed her aggressive pacing in front of him. 

“You allow your prejudices to cloud your judgement, Frost. Here in these halls, we treat others with honor.” chided Kuai, growing impatient with his student’s attitude

Frost growled back “Until they cut our throats in our sleep.”

His gaze hardened and he questioned “Do you doubt my leadership, Feng Mian? Do you doubt me, after all this time? I remember when I first found you. You were a poor street urchin fighting in illegal fighting circuits to get by, living in abandoned houses. You were always cold, always hungry, and alone. You know firsthand what such a life is like. You would condemn someone else to live it?”

Frost’s gaze seemed to soften a bit as she pondered on her masters’ words, and she gave a moment of silence before apologizing “I… do not need mean to question you,  _ sifu _ . You are the Grandmaster. I will tolerate this… outsider’s presence, but you cannot ask me to trust her.”

Kuai smiled a bit and nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly as he spoke “Trust is not gained in a single night, Feng Mian. It is earned over many. If she joins our ranks, you two will be sisters of the Lin Kuei. I need you to step up, and teach what I have taught you to this girl who needs your help as much as mine.”

Frost clearly was not comfortable with the idea of spending time with Ash, but Kuai was pleased that she did not fight his decision. “As you wish,  _ sifu _ .”

The two were in the council chambers, with Shroud appearing through a shadow on a nearby wall and nodding to the two, stating “Ash is lonely.”

Kuai furrowed his brows at her and suggested “So keep her company.”

She shook her head and clarified “She requested  _ your  _ presence, Grandmaster.”

Kuai was barely able to hear Frost scoff beneath her mask and passed her a critical glance before nodding to Shroud “I will meet with her. It is time we made our offer official. I do not want her feeling like a prisoner here any longer, and with the snows clearing up we have an opportunity to send her home if she so wishes.”

Shroud gave the man a skeptical look but said nothing. Was she learning things about Ash that he needed to know?

Following her through the shadow in the wall, Kuai entered a rather cold bedchamber with Shroud to find a bundled up Ash covered in blankets that were frozen solid, her head being the only thing visible. She stared up at him and asked like a meek mouse “ Help .”

“ _āi yā!”_ sighed Kuai in disbelief, rushing over to crack the ice covering the blankets and toss them aside, opting to pick the girl up and carry her to someplace he knew she would be warm. She shivered in his arms uncontrollably, her teeth chattering as they walked. “Shroud, take those back to the laundry. We will be in the bath.”

‘B-B-Bath?!” asked Ash, looking up at him in questioning. He sensed apprehension from her and anxiety, but not outright opposition. 

He looked down at her cradled form in his arms and clarified “It is not what you think. Neither of us will be naked.”

“O-Oh… okay…” replied Ash through chattering teeth. She was surprisingly small and light, Kuai imagined he could carry her with just one arm if he wanted to but he did not want her to be uncomfortable. 

 

* * *

The hot springs that made up the Lin Kuei temple’s bath house were vast, able to comfortably sit a hundred warriors in the order’s prime. Now it was empty, but the steam still rose off of the ever-warm waters offering a natural bath house for the Lin Kuei warriors. The stone had been carefully carved to form smooth seats, and as they entered, closets full of towels were offered to whoever entered. 

There was no dividing of sexes in the spring, but Kuai was not about to put that kind of pressure on Ash. Carefully, he lowered her feet into the spring and she winced a bit, exclaiming “Hot!”

“It will be. Your body must get used to it.” said Kuai calmly, before lowering more of the clothed girl into the waters. 

After being chest-deep in the hot water, she sighed in relaxation and moaned “Damn…” He felt tension and anxiety fall off of her like rain on a bird’s wing. 

He undid his sash and left the dragon medallion beneath his clothes, undressing until he was down to his loins before climbing in. She seemed to grow a bit agitated at the sight of his bare body, as she blushed heavily and tensed. “Oh… wow.” she exclaimed, eyeing him up as he climbed down into the water. 

He passed her a curious glance, asking “What is it?”

She kept her stunned look while answering “You’re just… so… nobody told me you were… nevermind.” 

He squinted at her in confusion, and sensed that she was… excited? No… not quite. He felt pressure in her, but not a negative form. What was he feeling from her? 

Just then, he saw a familiar face. A lumbering, grey mass of fur on four legs approached. It sniffed Ash’s neck and she jolted a bit, crying out “FuUUUCK!”

Kuai could not help but laugh, watching his friend startle the new girl by accident. “Jushiro seems to like you.” he noted.

She smiled up at the great wolf nervously, and offered a wet hand to pet him “Uh… that’s good… Good… puppy…”

The direwolf yawned and climbed into the water with them, swimming over to join Kuai. He gave the wet hound a good scratch around the neck, smiling all the while. Kuai began to speak as they sat there, saying “My mother was a Lin Kuei assassin, sent to kill an American ambassador sent to Hong Kong to negotiate some sort of treatise. Instead of cutting the man’s throat as she was instructed, they fell in love. She abandoned the order and the two of them went on the run, bearing two sons in the three years they were together. Eventually, Grandmaster Song Shuang found them and ended their lives, but not before my brother and I escaped. We lived on the streets of Hong Kong for months.”

Ash watched him as he explained his origins to her, her former smile fading from her lips as he regaled her with the sad tale “My brother kept us alive in… the way that Bi-Han knew how. But eventually we would come to befriend another street urchin by the name of Jushiro. He was a similar story to ours - an immigrated family from Japan attempted to evade their pursuers but wound up dead in Hong Kong’s cruel streets. Jushiro was a… good kid. He did not steal from any of the food stalls with kind vendors or those trying to support their families, only ever from those supported by the Triad. Eventually, however, the Triad found us.”

He paused for a moment before sighing deeply and explaining “There was only one avenue of escape - a tight ventilation duct. But the henchmen of the Triad knew where we were, and were closing in fast. Jushiro remained behind to buy my brother and I time to escape.”

Ash looked down at the water and spoke gently “I am so sorry, Kuai.”

He merely sat there, staring at the water as the events unfolded in his mind. Watching Jushiro get pulled out of the vent. Hearing his cries… Then running with Bi-Han through the alleyways with tears in his eyes. The wolf whined and licked Kuai’s face, bringing a small smile to it. “I honor his sacrifice to this day, and on the anniversary of his death, I light a candle and pray for him.”

Ash smiled over at him and added “He would be proud of the man you became.”

Kuai smiled over at her and finally offered “The snow has cleared, for the most part. Thanks to our actions, Kenshi’s cover was blown. He and General Blade are on their way to Xu Jing to take you home.”

She stared at him intently, and he felt a pang of loss and longing in her. She noted “I hear a ‘but’ at the end of your sentence.”

Kuai huffed in amusement at her acumen and added “But… with your new condition, I believe you would be better suited here… as Lin Kuei.”

He sensed a tickling sensation within her as she scoffed, asking “You want to turn me into a ninja?”

“I want to help you hone your abilities, and bring honor to yourself and others. With this power, you have a better capacity to defend Earthrealm. But it will not be the same as your old life.” clarified Kuai, watching her intently.

Breathing a sigh, Ash confessed “I feel like… my old life is over. I have no family left after… Outworld… and all my friends are from work. This… power… might be my chance to make a new family.” 

Kuai felt hope and rejuvenated joy bubbling within the girl, and smiled as it spread to him as well. “I share your sentiment, Miss Fields.” replied Kuai, hopeful for the girl’s future.

“Call me Ash, man… Er… Grandmaster. Ooh! Do I get a cool codename as part of the Lin Kuei? Like… Glacier? Or maybe Icestorm? What about Blizzard?” added Ash, eager to find out what her new identity might be as a Lin Kuei warrior.

“Your new name will come in time. For now, focus on calming your inner spirit. If you allow yourself to grow fearful or angered, your powers will become like a wildfire.” explained Kuai, speaking from experience.

She nodded and smiled “Right. I hope I won’t have to sleep in these springs just to keep warm.”

Kuai chuckled and explained “The cold you get used to, even comfortable with. I no longer even feel it, and my body does not react to colder temperatures like a normal human’s would. I do not suffer from frostbite or a lowering of my immune system.”

Ash beamed at that, exclaiming “Cool! So I can run around out in a blizzard naked?”

He furrowed his brows at her in a stare that said “ _ Be serious _ .” 

Ash reclined and sighed “Welp… if nothing else, this should make snowball fights a helluva lot more interesting.”

 

* * *

Kuai stood at the steps of the main entrance to his temple, flanked by Ash and Frost, with Shroud standing next to Ash. Lin Kuei warriors brought Sonya Blade and Kenshi before them, with Kenshi bowing and Sonya falling suit. She greeted “Grandmaster Liang, thank you for taking such good care of our operative.”

She noticed Ash’s white hair and furrowed her brows in questioning “So, the report was true. How you feeling, private?” 

“As well as can be expected, ma’am.” reported Ash, who nodded to her superior.

Kenshi pressed his index and middle fingers to his temple and seemed to sense something, noting to the pair mentally “ _ Grandmaster… Miss Fields… you both are spiritually linked. Did you…? _ ”

Kuai nodded to the man, replying mentally “ _ I did, Kenshi _ .”

Ash looked between them, thinking “ _ Did what? We’re spiritually linked? What does that mean? _ ”

Sonya looked at the three sharing a mental conversation and asked “Can we take this conversation out of each other’s heads, please?”

Kenshi nodded to her and apologized “Apologies, General. I just noticed that Master Liang and Miss Fields have developed a… spiritual link. A powerful bond.”

Sonya raised a brow at the two and folded her arms “What does this mean, exactly?”

Ash took in a breath and hesitated. Shroud offered a reassuring grab on her shoulder and she smiled back at the hooded ninja, turning back to the general. She donned a formal smile and stepped forward, declaring “It means my time in S.F. is respectfully over, ma’am. I’ve decided it would be best for everyone involved if I remained with the Lin Kuei. They can help me hone my skills in ways S.F. never could.”

Frost looked away, clearly unhappy with the whole situation. 

Sonya smirked up at her and noted “You still have another two years in your service, Private Fields.” She looked to Sub-Zero, whose gaze was stern and hard, and she relented “However, under these… unusual circumstances, I think we can permit this under an honorable discharge.”

Ash smiled brighter and bowed her head to her “Thank you, general. For everything.”

Smiling, Sonya and nodded “It is my pleasure, Ash. You’ve been good to S.F., and Sub-Zero is as great a teacher as any. He’ll look after you.” She looked around at the courtyard of the temple and noted the chipped stone on the pillars and walls and noted “No offense, Grandmaster, but your temple looks like it could use a makeover.”

Kuai folded his arms and admitted “This temple belonged to the original incarnation of my clan from over two hundred years ago. It is… a bit worn from the years.”

Sonya smirked and nodded to Ash, vowing “You take care of my soldier, I am sure my people can give the Lin Kuei a few upgrades.”

Kuai bowed to her in gratitude, thanking aloud “You have my thanks, General Blade.”

The meeting ended with a formal salute between Ash and Sonya, as well as nods of respect between Kuai and Kenshi. As the Lin Kuei piled back into the temple, Ash fell behind to walk with Frost. She smiled over to her and greeted “Not sure if we met yet. Name’s Ashley Fields.” She offered a gloved hand to shake Frost’s. 

The female ninja glanced at her hand and waited for the others to leave ear or eye shot, before grabbing Ash by the scruff of her shirt and forcing her into an adjacent room. Ash grunted and demanded “What the hell?!”

Frost blocked the door with her body and turned to face Ash, her gaze hostile, and growled through her mask “Let us be clear on one thing: You are  _ not  _ Lin Kuei. You never will be, no matter what the Grandmaster says. You are  _ guǐlǎo _ trash who infests our sacred halls with her presence. Once the Grandmaster realizes this, you will be returned to your stinking cities where you belong. Until then, we tolerate your presence. Do you understand?”

Ash simply smiled and gave an “Ahhh” of understanding before asserting “I see. You’re the big bitch on campus and here I come, stealing the spotlight.”

Frost responded with a quick jab into Ash’s face, resulting in a split lip. She was a bit stunned by the blow, blinking as her vision had to adjust. Frost retorted, moving toward Ash slowly and threateningly “The only thing you steal is our dignity by hosting you here,  _ chāng fù _ . Do not overstep your bounds.”

Frost turned to leave as Ash noticed blood on her fingers after rubbing her lip. She swallowed her contempt for the ninja bitch, vowing quietly to make the girl pay for striking her. Moving to leave, she noticed the door handle was frozen solid - as was the lock.

 

* * *

Kuai breathed in the wintery air of Arctika as he stood on the ramparts of the temple, gazing out on the snow-covered wastes of his home. Miles upon miles of thick snow, and the howl of wind a constant barrage on one’s ears. His mask covered his face, but his gaze was uncovered - the chilling air not affecting his human eyes.

He heard the approach of one of his warriors and heard Cobalt’s voice address him. “Grandmaster, I seek an audience.”

“Speak your mind, Cheng.” replied Kuai, his gaze fixed on the frozen desert below.

He turned and noticed Cobalt had knelt and was rising, speaking formally “I humbly ask your permission to leave.”

“The temple?”

“The clan.” answered Cobalt, his stern gaze meeting Kuai’s, the latter unable to hide his shock.

Kuai was a bit too stunned to speak. Cobalt had always been a staunch member of the Lin Kuei since its reformation, and was a loyal supporter of Kuai’s changes to the Order. After a moment to catch his breath, he asked “You would abandon us, Cheng? In our most desperate hour? The shadows of the Netherrealm still looms over us all.”

Cobalt’s eyes faltered for a moment before returning back up to Kuai’s as he replied “I do not abandon the clan with an easy heart, Grandmaster. But… I cannot remain. Not after… Inka.”

Kuai’s eyes narrowed before asking “What about her?”

He failed to meet his master’s gaze this time, staring down at the sowy ground they stood on before answering “We were lovers, Grandmaster. The night your brother attacked, I had… learned she was with child.”

Kuai’s heart sank. The healer did not say anything to Kuai about it, despite them being back a week now. He felt a tremor through his body and his veins froze. His gut and throat felt heavy as he replied, trying to grasp words as memories of the young servant flooded his mind, “I… see. I am… so sorry…” 

It all made sense now. Cheng was occasionally late to some gatherings despite his usual promptness. He knew Cobalt was a reserved man and gave him his space because of it. If he had paid more attention to those following him, he might have known. He started to form the Lin Kuei salute to the man but stopped, instead opting to embrace him comfortingly.

He felt Cheng stiffen a bit but returned the gesture, with small drops of moisture hitting the cloth on Kuai’s neck. “I am so sorry, my friend.” sighed Kuai, closing his eyes and struggling not to think about Inka’s death and that of their unborn child.

Releasing the teary-eyed warrior from their embrace, Kuai nodded to him “Take any one of our horses you’d like, and as much  _ yuan  _ as you can carry. I will have Li Wei prepare some provisions for your journey.”

Cobalt nodded and assured “I cannot promise my return, but… should the Lin Kuei ever have need of me… I will answer the call.” He made a formal bow before Kuai, who felt most undeserving of it. As a Grandmaster, he lead his people into a miserable existence in a cold temple and a gruesome death at the hands of his undead brother. He had to do better. As Cobalt left him, he vowed quietly that he would do better by his clan and all the souls who depended on him.


	8. New Storm

It had been several months since Ash’s induction into the ranks of the Lin Kuei. Nine months, to be precise. Nine hard months of gruelling training in preparation for this day: Ash’s first field mission. In repayment for upgrading the Lin Kuei temple with some much needed tech, the Sub-Zero has offered aid to Special Forces in their hunt for the Black Dragon clan. Special Forces did much of the wetwork and has secured the Lin Kuei a location on a hub of their activity - Amsterdam, specifically a nightclub in their Red-Light District.

Special Forces transported Ash, Shroud, and Tempest into Amsterdam with the express purpose of helping Agents Kenshi and Johnny Cage along with a team of operatives with capturing the Black Dragon’s leader - a mercenary named Kano. It was General Blade’s intention to extract information out of Kano to find the other Black Dragon cells. 

Ash was adorned in a leather jacket with a small bandeau covering her chest, along with some fingerless gloves and dark cargo pants. Typical Black Dragon wear, like a leather fetish cross between street punks of L.A. and a biker gang. Shroud and Tempest were wearing similar clothes, with Shroud covering her face with a skull bandana and Tempest wearing some retro-looking sunglasses. The Special Forces operatives were waiting on top of the club as the three entered, passing what little could be said of the Black Dragon’s security screening.

A tall, dark-skinned bouncer with no shirt, huge muscles, and a distinct Black Dragon tattoo on his chest greeted the three as they attempted to enter. “Passes?” he asked.

Ash and Shroud looked unamused as they both flashed him their breasts. With a creepy grin, the bouncer nodded and moved aside “You’re in, ladies. Enjoy.”

Ash and Shroud passed him by but he stopped Tempest from entering, demanding “You don’t got tits, bruh. Let’s see some paper, c’mon.”

Tempest flashed him a glare from behind his glasses and, seeing as they were the only ones in the vicinity, offered the man a quick slash across the throat with small blade concealed in his sleeves. 

The three of them quickly moved to carry the bleeding body across the street and throw him over the fence into the canal adjacent from the nightclub, letting the fish have the creep. They were thankful it was a relatively dead night - apart from the thunderous Dubstep playing in the building they were about to enter. 

Ash sighed and noted “That was dangerous, man.”

Tempest corrected her coldly “Tempest.”

Ash looked at him with snark in her eyes and corrected herself “That was dangerous, Tempest.”

They heard the voice of Johnny Cage - who Ash still could not believe she was on a mission with - as he called them from their small earpieces “I second that, Sparky. You had your fun, now let’s try to put on our serious faces, okay?”

Shroud chuckled and replied “I never thought to hear you be the one to speak of seriousness, Cage.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for your snowflakes and I’d rather not see your cover get blown in there. Lots of bad guys on the dance floor tonight, kids.” observed Johnny, who sounded somewhat serious - a rare occasion.

Tempest replied sharply as they moved to enter the club “We are not children, Mister Cage.”

Kenshi chimed in “Mister Cage meant no disrespect, Tempest. But please, do try to refrain from using excessive force. Just try to find out where Kano is and let us know. We’ll go from there.”

Nodding, Ash affirmed for them “Roger that.”

_ Club Luxuria  _ was somewhere between a 70’s techno scene and some strange sex club. As they navigated the hallways lit only by the occasional red bulbs, wading through trash and beer bottles that had been just tossed to the ground as well as through the odd couple having casual sex, the thumping of electronic music grew only louder. 

Ash could barely hear herself think as they entered the dance floor, with a crowd of people in black dancing, grinding, chugging, and brawling. A real cesspit if Ash had ever seen one. In one area, she noticed a guy going to town on some girl only to be pulled off and knocked unconscious. The assailant proceeded to take his place, being met with a cheer by his surrounding peers. 

In another corner, some skinny guy was just snorting a line of coke on a table. Ash did her best not to look too disgusted, but couldn’t help it. She jolted as she felt a hand grab her ass.”Hey, bud, this one yours?” he heard a guy say behind her. 

Tempest merely glared at the man, looked to Ash, then returned his glare and declared “Yes.”

“Aww, come on. Maybe share a little? It’s a party, afterall.” the guy said.

Ash turned around to face him fully and noticed he was a walking piercing factory. There wasn’t a bit of lip on him untouched by metal. More scary was the huge bowie knife he had tucked away at his belt. Forcing a smile, Ash put on her best British accent that her peers insisted was terrible and explained “Sorry, love, but we’re ‘ere on business. Where’s the boss?”

Her accent must have been passable enough because this idiot seemed to buy it, replying “Dunno, probably fucking the old owner still. Why? You want a taste of home?”

Did he… seriously think she was Australian from that accent? “Listen, pallie, I ain’t one to be fucked with, ye? I once went toe-to-toe with Jax Briggs.” she boasted, thumping her chest with her hands challengingly.

“Liar.”

She and her comrades turned to face a nearby man adorning a black mask, one of his eyes bearing a large scar that turned it a milky white. His black hair was slicked back and his voice sounded like that of a man who has definitely seen some shit. He asked doubtingly “You fought Jackson Briggs?”

She boldly approached the significantly taller man, with Shroud whispering to her “Ash… stop…”

Ash stood up to him, rubbing her nose with her thumb arrogantly as she added “Who d’ya think ripped his fucking arms off?”

Staring her down, the man quieted the dance floor with a raise of his fist. The colored lights turned off and some fluorescent lights turned on to replace them with an intimidating bang. All the Black Dragon club members stopped what they were doing and had their gazes fixed on the Lin Kuei. Ash had to strain to find her sight once more, staring up at the man who did not seemed fazed at all.

He called out “Tremor!” and was met with some awed “Ooohh’s” from the crowd. The ground shook with footsteps as the crowd moved aside to make way for an approaching figure that towered over them. Ash barely was able to make out his masked head as he made his way over to them.

Upon reaching them, Ash’s jaw dropped at the absolute behemoth she saw. A six-foot-seven monster of a man who wore a metal mask and cloth hood and had dark leather straps connecting his shoulder pads to his belt. His eyes were completely white, and he had a cracked body that looked more akin to a stone statue in appearance. The way he moved was slow and heavy, and his hands up to his elbows were rocky in texture.

His voice was deep and gravely, and it made Ash shudder in fear upon hearing him speak “What is it, Ripper?”

The questioning man identified as “Ripper” gestured to Ash and explained “This little twat claims to have fought Briggs. Says she was the one who ripped his arms off.”

Tremor glowered over to Ash, and she could feel her blood freeze. He scoffed at this from behind his mask, mocking “This feeble child? Against Briggs? I would sooner believe Jarek did.”

Coughing and finding a pitiful amount of courage, Ash stood up to him, stating “Now you listen ‘ere, shitbird, I didn’t travel all the way from…” She looked for suggestions from her teammates, with Tempest offering only an unamused stare and Shroud shrugging. Johnny offered in her mic “Brazilia.”

“...Brazilia… to be treated like this. Now I demand to see the boss, and I’m not goin’ anywhere until I-”

A gunshot rang out in the crowd, with a bullet whizzing by Ash’s head and into the ground near her. She stood still as a statue, her eyes wide open as the crowd moved aside to look at who fired.

Nearby, on a stairwell leading to a suspended room that seemed like it had once been an office area, was a man with a scraggly beard and short, dark brown hair. He wore a leather vest over his bare chest and had a black dragon tattooed onto his left arm. Most distinctly, his right eye was red and glowed while encompassed by a silvery material over his brow and cheek in a circular pattern. “You talk a lot for someone so small, girlie.” he greeted with a small grin, revealing a silver tooth.

Ash forced herself to speak “I… er… Yeah, well… Small or not, I pack quite a punch, boss. But even better, I come with news of-”

“Spare me, chickie, I know you’re with Blade.” he said, leaning against the metal railing with his pistol at his side.

Ash gulped and accused “Well… how do I know  _ you’re  _ not with Blade?!”

Kano nodded over to the entrance and explained “My hound sniffed ya’ out the moment you showed up in Amsterdam, kid. Oi, Tibi, show ya’ face girl.”

Emerging from the shadows of the hallway, a small girl with dark skin with bone-like markings all over her body and the face of a dog’s skull on her own. She greeted them “ _ Hola ahi, perras _ .” She wore a leather jacket with torn ends and a collar studded with small spikes like what one would expect to see on the collar of an abused Rottweiler. She wore nothing beneath it but a mesh shirt, with torn dark jeans and combat boots. 

Ash gave a look that said “Fair enough” before noting in her own Spanish “ _ Tu pelo es como basura _ .” A lie, her hair looked great. Still, looked to be enough to rattle the bone-themed punk.

Smiling, Kano stepped down the staircase and called out “Still, doubt Sonya woulda’ sent just the three of you if she knew I was here. Take our new guests’ weapons. Tibicena, check the area for more uninvited guests.”

The latina girl nodded and turned to leave, with Ripper and Tremor doing as instructed and taking the hidden kunai and small swords hidden on Tempest, Shroud, and Ash. The guy who had been feeling her up previously smirked at her and began frisking her down for any more hidden weapons, and she proceeded to grab his head and freeze it. 

He struggled for a moment but fell limp as his skull cracked under the pressure. She released his corpse to the ground and the rest of the thugs drew their weapons on her. Kano smirked and held up a hand for them to hold their fire, noting “You’ve got a lot of potential, girlie. Ever think about getting out of the spy life and come work for people who pay?”

Ash spat back “Not on your life, cyclops.”

Nodding, he aimed a gun at her and called out to the entire room “All your buddies better show themselves unless they’d like this spunky little sheila taking a dive in the canal!”

Before anyone could reach, a large throwing star flew across the room and embedded itself into Kano’s gun arm, causing him to misfire and roar in pain, demanding “The fuck?!”

The room filled with yellow-garbed ninjas before Johnny could utter over the earpiece “The hell…?”

Ash watched as several of these ninjas cut down the Black Dragon thugs surrounding them, allowing Tempest to send a jolt of electricity into Ripper with enough power to blacken his skin. He jolted as he fell to the ground, a cluster of knives clattering out of his coat as his smoldering remains hit the floor. 

Shroud dived into Ash’s shadow - which left her feeling somewhat tingly - and began emerging in the shadows of the Black Dragon members, slicing at their ankles and shins from below with a small sword. 

Ash readied herself for battle, kneeing an oncoming woman with a mohawk and a knife in the stomach before she could blink. She finished her off with a hard elbow into her back, sending her crashing into the ground. She then felt herself be grabbed by the neck and lifted off the ground by Tremor, who grunted out “Troublesome pest!”

He formed a stone blade with his hand, intent on impaling her through the chest. She reacted quickly with the training Kuai taught her, reaching her right hand out and freezing Tremor’s face with a quick blast of frost. This stunned him enough to allow Shroud to impale his foot through his boot with her sword. 

Grunting in pain, he threw Ash across the room while ripping ice chunks from his face. She landed on a blanket of shadows formed by Shroud, who emerged from a nearby shadow on a wall and promptly stabbed a distracted Black Dragon thug. 

Ash saw Kano firing on the scaffolding at some unknown figure before her attention shifted to Tremor charging toward her and Shroud. Jumping high into the air, he poised his blade-arm to strike but was soundly launched back by a kick from Johnny Cage, who’s body was covered in a glowing, green energy. His ki flashed brilliantly through Ash’s heightened senses briefly, and she stared in awe at him as he made several kicks to the air after ward.

Smirking, he asked the giant “So if I crack you open, am I gonna find a bunch of crystals inside ya’?”

“Impudent worm.” growled out Tremor, who retaliated by launching his arm blade as a projectile toward Johnny. 

The actor-turned-soldier deftly redirected the chunk of sharp rock with a “Woah!” of surprise, sending it instead into the chest of an oncoming Black Dragon member. Smirking, he flipped out his own shades and put them on, asking “That all you got, chunky?”

Tremor roared in response “I’ll rip off your head, Cage!”

While the two did battle, Shroud used her shadows to form a veil over the two as a trio of thugs used machine guns on them. The bullets traveled through the shadow veil and reappeared through the gangster’s own shadows on the floor, ripping through them instead. 

Ash asked desperately “Who the hell are these guys?!”

Shroud uncovered them and noted their yellow garbs and scorpion symbols, replying gravely “Shirai Ryu.”

Kenshi reached them after decapitating a thug with his katana, declaring “We have to get to Kano!”

Shroud demanded “What are the Shirai Ryu doing here?!”

He shook his head, replying “I do not know, and while they are not foes, they are certainly not here as friends. Do not engage them unless they instigate. This battle is already over.”

As if to make Kenshi’s point clear, Kano was sent flying through the window on the office room down onto the dance floor below, landing on the glass ground and cracking it beneath his weight with a groan of pain. He was bleeding from several lacerations on his body, and struggled to move. An armored ninja jumped out of the same window down onto the dance floor below, landing over Kano and poising a sword to his neck. 

Ash looked at the man as the Shirai Ryu ninjas rounded up the surviving Special Forces and Black Dragon members, kneeling them down and securing them by the wrists with rope. The supposed leader holding Kano had a strong scorpion motif, with swords resembling their barbed stingers and a mask resembling their body. His voice held a Japanese accent but was deep and sour as he spoke “Your honorless clan is in shambles, Kano. Kabal is dead and, with him, any leadership it had. I do not come here for your head.”

“Truly, mate? Would’a guessed you were after a pint and a squeeze.” chuckled Kano before being stabbed through the shoulder by the Shirai Ryu. 

The figure demanded as his fist lit aflame “I am after your master - where is Quan Chi?!”

Johnny and Kenshi began to approach him but two other ninjas held them back firmly, with Johnny greeting “Scorps, my man! How’s your chain hangin’?”

Ash couldn’t believe she was meeting these legendary fighters in the flesh. Johnny Cage… Scorpion… relics of the first Mortal Kombat tournament. Scorpion’s hazel eyes merely stared at Johnny before he retrieved his sword from Kano’s shoulder, the wounded mercenary cursing “Fackin’ bugger…”

Two ninjas secured Kano as Scorpion wiped down his sword with a rag and approached the two Special Forces commanders. Kenshi bowed respectfully and greeted “What my friend meant to say, Grandmaster Hasashi, is that we’re glad you were here to help but are unsure of your motives. Kano is sought after by General Blade.”

Nodding, Scorpion noted “You keep odd company these days, my old friend. As for your new masters, they are welcome to have whatever is left of him when I am done.”

Johnny passed Kenshi a grim look with raised brows and the blindfolded swordsman clarified “Our General is… Sonya, she needs Kano, Master Hasashi. It is true, Kabal is out of the picture, but the Black Dragon are still a major threat. I am sure you saw the news of New York.”

He nodded and sheathed his weapon across his back, stating “I have, yes. A grim affair for which you have my condolences. But a more imminent threat to Earthrealm lies not in these honorless cravens, but in the depths of the Netherrealm.”

Ash finally piped up “Is it Noob Saibot?” She was sure it was him. It had to be, with all this news of shit hitting the fan in the Netherrealm. 

Shroud passed her a look to be silent but all eyes were on her now. Scorpion raised a brow at her “Who?”

She stepped forward and explained “A few months ago, the Lin Kuei temple was attacked-”

The armored ninja turned hostile, demanding “Lin Kuei?!” He turned his glare to Kenshi and Johnny and interrogated “Your masters now employ Lin Kuei in their missions?”

Kenshi rubbed the back of his neck and explained “Things are different now, Hanzo. Kuai Liang is not his brother.”

“Enough,” demanded Scorpion, “I am bringing Kano with me back to the Fire Gardens for interrogation. You may have the rest. When we are through, my liaisons will contact yours for a trade.”

He passed a contemptful look to Ash before turning back, barking an order to his subordinates in Japanese sharply. The two holding Kano prisoner escorted him with them as they all moved to leave, walking over the scores of dead they left behind, including an unconscious Tremor who’s head had been rammed through a set of speakers.

Ash watched in confusion as the Shirai Ryu departed, with one dark-skinned female in particular staring her down before leaving with the others. Why were the Shirai Ryu so opposed to the Lin Kuei? In all her training, Kuai had not told her anything of this.

Johnny passed a look to Kenshi as the Special Forces task force began filing out prisoners for extraction, commenting “Sonya’s gonna be pissed.”

Kenshi nodded and asked “What was that about Quan Chi, though?”

Shrugging, Johnny remarked “Dunno. Ol’ spooks tucked tail and ran back to the Netherrealm after Shao Kahn’s invasion, I thought. Ever since, we haven’t heard jack.”

Kenshi scratched his stubbled chin and noted “Troubling.” He turned to face Tempest as he approached them and nodded to him “Nevertheless, we should get you three back on your way to Manchuria. I’m sure Sub-Zero would like an update.”

Tempest remarked “He would indeed. The Shirai Ryu flexing its strength is not something we can ignore.”

Ash passed a questioning look to Shroud, who merely gave her a “We’ll talk about it later” look. 

 

* * *

Kuai meditated out in the frozen grove, sitting cross-legged on a patch of cold grass. The additions the Special Forces crewmen were making to the temple on the west side was not able to be heard on the east side of the temple, thankfully, allowing the Grandmaster a moment of silence and calm.

That is, until he heard a faint crunch of snow nearby. He slowly formed his hand to bend the water in the air in front of him, preparing a ball of freezing water to be flung. Seconds ticked by as he breathed and sensed her preparation, like a leopard trembling before a pounce.

Then he heard Frost cry out as she advanced on him, the crackling of water forming into a pair of small ice swords. Within a second, Sub-Zero jumped up and sent the small ball of freezing water at her, enveloping her lower half in restricting ice. She grunted as she struggled to move but was unable to, her eyes showing her frustration where her mouth was hidden behind a mask.

“ _ Tā māde niǎo _ !” cursed Frost angrily, throwing her ice swords into the snow. 

Kuai breathed a sigh and approached her before punching her frozen legs free - enough only to break the ice and not harm her. He rested a hand on her shoulder as she stared at the ground quietly “Patience is integral, Feng Mian. If you clutch a butterfly too tightly and suddenly, you risk crushing it.”

She remarked in return “Grab it too slowly or meekly and you risk not catching it at all.”

“This is true. But why gamble and risk your life when you can wait, plan out your approach, and strike when you have you the best opportunity?” explained Kuai, who gave the girl a playful flick on the forward - a gesture he did with all his students. 

She rubbed her cold forehead and reported “Tempest’s team finished their mission. Their en route back to the temple.”

He nodded and asked “How did it go?”

She shrugged and replied dismissively “They didn’t say. Whether it was uneventful or our new ‘friends’ are keeping things from us remains to be seen.”

Sighing, Kuai asked “Frost, when are you going to let this animosity go? It serves nothing.”

Frost gestured to the temple and insisted “You are not around when those  _ guǐlǎo  _ talk. They disrespect us! In our own halls! They treat us as if we are primitive savages! Simply because we keep to the old ways!”

Kuai replied gently “Then it is our duty to prove them wrong and be better than they are.”

“We  _ are  _ better!” insisted Frost, her gaze meeting Sub-Zero’s intently.

Kuai explained “They are allies, repairing the damage to our temple, providing better defenses, and giving us opportunities to protect our realm.”

Frost looked away with an angered “Tch.”, with Kuai approaching her calmly and resting a hand on her shoulder once more.

“Feng Mian, I need you to be more accepting of our allies, no matter their origin. I need this of you. I know ever since the attack on this temple, you have been… reserved… but the Lin Kuei cannot protect Earthrealm alone, nor should it.” explained Kuai earnestly, staring into Frost’s icy blue eyes as he did.

She stared back at him and, after a moment of hesitation, she nodded, speaking gently “Yes,  _ sifu. _ ”

Nodding, he patted her shoulder and commanded “Go make sure the kitchen staff have supper ready. We’ll talk more in the long hall.”

She bowed to him and left to carry out his order. He grimaced, wondering about the future of his faithful student. Her heart was in the right place, but her temper clouded her judgement. She was loyal beyond reason, but distrustful of those who have not earned it.

Regardless, he was eager to see his comrades home safe. His last encounter with Kano left him with a permanent scar on his eye to remember the man by. A sadistic criminal with many talents and no honor… Kuai could think of few worse dangers to the realm, aside from… his brother.

His thoughts shifting to Bi-Han, he wondered if the wraith that was once his kin could be redeemed, or if the Netherrealm’s hold on him was just too deep. He doubted the Botan jungle was the last he would see of him, and if he was working with the likes of the Red Dragon, that made him all that much more dangerous. But why? Why work with the Red Dragon? Why steal dragon’s blood? 

Deciding he would speak with Raiden about these concerns soon, Kuai opted to secure dinner before he worried himself into an ulcer. One thing he promised himself as he ascended the stairs leading back into the temple - the next time he would face Bi-Han… he would be ready.


	9. Looming Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I know, canonically Sareena was saved by Bi-Han but since I feel that is uncharacteristically generous of Bi-Han and more in line with the kind of person Kuai is, I felt the need to switch. As always, feel free to leave comments letting me know what you think! Did not think this little project would become this popular. Anyway, enjoy the first chapter of Noob Saibot's POV!

Noob awoke in his dark coffin groggily, his white eyes blinking awake as he found his bearings. The same dream as always. Fire engulfing him, with chains ending in spears tearing into his flesh. He dreamt of his death always, and awoke in a cold sweat. If his heart could still beat, it would have been pounding in his chest.

Normally, wraiths such as he did not require sleep, but Noob was a rare exception. An unnecessary distraction, in Noob’s opinion, one in which he did not understand. Maybe it was a temporal scar that Scorpion had left on him. Maybe it was a daily routine of torture that Quan Chi has exacted on him, a way for the sorcerer to keep Noob under his heel.

His room was shrouded in darkness, but upon raising his hand and igniting the Felflame torches within, his pet writhed while chained to the wall. She had not changed much since he had encountered her last, with her dark hair accented by a streak of silver. She wore a black, studded collar and a gag in her mouth, forcing her words to be muffled and incomprehensible. The rest of her body was completely naked, a soft vessel for Noob’s carnal desires.

“Good morning, Sareena.” greeted Noob with a chuckle. He moved his index finger across her smooth cheek and she resisted, closing her eyes and moving away from it. “Lucky for you, I have business today, but once I return we can find time for some exercise.”

Sareena glared up at him and he chuckled once more, turning to head over to a weapon’s rack covered in his various shadow-born tools of death. A sickle, a katana, a hammer, a pair of broadswords, and more all laid out for him to examine. He picked up the sickle and uncorked a nearby bottle of some noxious, green chemical before pouring it into the blade, causing it to glow green with poison.

“I encountered a familiar face during my trip to Earthrealm, by the way. My brother… Kuai Liang.” added Noob, his back facing the succubus.

Her eyes widened in shock and she muffled out a question to him.

He smiled behind his mask and nodded “Yes… I know. You two were close once. He freed you from Quan Chi’s service and, in doing so, damned you further. Now you serve as the cock sleeve of a wraith. Still, it could be worse. I could have fed you to the hordes… or let the lowly oni have you in exchange for their service.”

Turning to face her, Noob found that familiar glare worn on her face and remarked “You hate me. Despise me, even. But I ask you to what end? Have I not been merciful? Have I not been generous? More so than that bald rodent you once called a master ever had been. I could be even more generous, Sareena. I could even be loving.” He approached her, sickle in hand, and forced her chin up to look at him with his free hand.

“I will not be under the master’s heel forever. When I take the dark throne, I will need a queen. Show me your love, and I will repay it in kind.” vowed Noob, his white eyes staring into Sareena’s. 

She met his gaze intently and, after a moment of silence, he released her and turned to leave, sliding the sickle into his chest for storage in the Shadowrealm. “Food for thought.” he remarked, closing the metal door leading into his private chamber.

The walk down the dimly lit hallways of the Brotherhood’s sanctuary was met with silence aside from the usual distant howls of pain from tortured souls. Noob entered the asylum of darkness and, sure enough, there stood Quan Chi, his rune-covered back facing Noob as he entered.

He approached the bald sorcerer and knelt before him, remaining silent as his master prepared to speak.

“You returned from Earthrealm with several vats of dragon’s blood. The life fuel in each drop being more magically potent than you can realize. You have benefitted the Brotherhood a great deal.” began Quan Chi, his deep voice carrying words of praise with subtle hints of reproach.

Noob braced himself for the tongue lashing that was sure to follow. Quan Chi rewarded success conservatively but was generous with punishment. “You also allowed Lord Raiden and his Earthrealm pawns to discover our existence. Our plans have now been jeopardized because of your carelessness, Saibot.” scolded Quan Chi coldly, his gaze still forward on a stone-made table bearing a red crown.

“They know nothing of our plans, master. As far as they are aware, we were servants of the Red Dragon.” assured Noob. Things would have been fine had Kuai not meddled where he did not belong. Why had Noob spared him? It made no logical sense. Yet, at the time, he felt compelled to. What was this weakness he felt?

Turning to face him fully, Quan Chi’s red eyes fixed on his dark wraith as he spoke “We are the Brotherhood of Shadow, Saibot. We have no words because we are silent as the void. We do our best work where no eyes can see and no ears can hear. You… were clumsy.”

Noob merely stared at the tiled floor, hate brewing inside his hollow chest. Quan Chi walked past him and added “With hope, your blunder will not cost us our victory. Our pieces are in place, all that is needed is for our hired help to deliver what was promised.”

Noob’s eyes widened in shock and anticipation. He stood and looked to Quan Chi, asking “Our Lord shall be freed?”

Smiling, Quan Chi replied “Free to make the realms whole once more. Our time has come, Saibot. The Age of Darkness is here.”

Noticing his pendant light up, Quan Chi raised it with his hand and summoned the visage of Tasia - his contact within the Black Dragon. “What is it?” he demanded impatiently.

“Bad news, sir. Kano’s been booked. S.F. raided our place last night.” relayed Tasia, looking slightly nervous about the conversation. 

Sneering angrily, Quan Chi demanded “And the amulet?”

She reported “We are… unsure they found it, but the local authorities are tearing the place apart as we speak.”

Quan Chi sighed and noted “Never send a mercenary to do a wraith’s job. I will send one of my operatives to reclaim the amulet from your club and correct your leader’s error. You had best pray it is there, Tasia.”

Nodding hesitantly, she added “There’s one more thing… Special Forces didn’t capture Kano.”

Raising a brow, Quan Chi asked “Then who did?”

She answered nervously “The Shirai Ryu.”

Noob’s fists instinctively clenched upon hearing this news. Sounds of chains rattling and the crackling of flames intruded into his brain. Quan Chi nodded “Then at least we know where to look if it is not in Amsterdam. Keep your head down and wait for my call. That is all, Tasia.” The red hologram dissipated as he turned to address Noob “You know where to go.”

Nodding, Noob pressed his fist to his breast and vowed “I will find the amulet, master.”

Quan Chi nodded to this “Yes, you will.” An order… and a threat.

Noob inhaled as he left, his fists still clenched as he thought of his chances facing his old foe once again. Countless dreams of death and pain haunting him… now could be a chance to be rid of it.

 

* * *

 

Noob had assembled a new task force of Wraiths to aid him in his search for the amulet. Entering the wrecked nightclub through a skylight, they silently treaded through the dark halls as it was investigated by a group of local police. 

Noob watched the detectives on the scene speak in German while sharing coffee and surveying the destroyed dance floor. The bodies had been cleared out but blood still caked several areas, by now dry and cold. The room smelled of sweet death and made Noob’s thirst grow. He had to stifle himself from decapitating the detectives as they slowly moved and talked about the floor, discussing the chaos of the scene.

Noob made his way into the destroyed office where Kano worked while his wraiths supported him from the shadows, making sure that any foolish cop that made their way up the stairs would meet a silent end.

He surveyed the room, noticing blood sprayed all across the floor and shattered glass. But more than the smell of battle was the inescapable burning sensation that crawled its way under his skin.  _ He was here _ .

Searching the room quietly, he found a hidden safe built into the wall and concealed by a stolen painting. Moving his hand over the lock, he quickly learned the combination from the traces of human contact with it. He unlocked it and opened it slowly, finding nothing but an envelope with a letter inside. 

Flipping it open, he read the letter to himself mentally.

_ “To Shadow grima, boss got nabbed. Grabbed the thing and ran. Want it? Visit us in our haven in the city of dying angels. _

_ Don’t take too long. _

_ -Tibicena” _

Noob crushed the paper in his tightened grip. The Black Dragon lure them further into danger. If the thunder god discovered their plans, they would be set back that much further. He would find this “Tibicena” and make her relieve the stolen trinket. He was tired of their games.

Regrouping on the roof of the club, Noob pondered on the meaning of the paper. The “city of dying angels”? He did not have time for riddles, but he could not return to the Netherrealm empty-handed. 

He knew the location of the Black Dragon cell in Argentina and would learn where this Tibicena had taken the amulet. His Lord’s will would be done.

 

* * *

 

After choking the information out of Tasia in Argentina’s Black Dragon cell, Noob had learned that Tibicena’s cell was in Los Angeles, California. He stood on a balcony overlooking the warehouse on the pier in which they were based in.

The fortress of a building was more well-defended than the night club in Amsterdam, that was for certain. Round the clock guards and patrols, all armed with military-grade equipment. Noob could not help but wonder why Kano did not exert such effort in his own base’s defense. Perhaps he was simply arrogant. 

This Tibicena seemed more practical, remaining in the most fortified area of the warehouse - the basement. He watched her from the shadows as she spoke with a tall guard, her arms folded across her chest as she chastised “The boss dropped the ball, as did you,  _ pendejo.  _ Find out where those Shirai Ryu live or you’ll be the next thing I feed to my pups,  _ comprende _ ?”

The tall thug nodded and was dismissed sharply, with the painted bitch descending into the basement and locking the metal door behind her. Noob was not deterred by such crude methods. 

He dissipated into the Shadowrealm and phase walked through the door and into the basement, finding the woman’s room rather easily, with its soft carpeting and leopard-printed sofa and bed. He watched as two of her rottweilers that were kept in a chewed-apart kennel began growling at him, perceiving him even in the Shadowrealm. 

She turned and looked around, drawing a large hand cannon and declaring “ _ Quién va allá _ ?”

He emerged from the shadows holding a black sickle born from his chest, her dogs immediately barking wildly at him. She responded instinctively with a shot to his heart, the bullet seemingly passed through his body into the wall behind him. He stood unphased with a blank stare from his lifeless eyes boring into her. “I believe you have something of ours.” greeted Noob ominously.

“ _ ¡Dios mío _ …!” gasped Tibicena, her dogs ceasing their barking and crouching down with low whimpers and whines of fear.

He replied with a low smirk beneath his dark mask “Not quite. Now hand over the amulet.”

She held the hand cannon to him as he approached her slowly, backing away at the same pace toward her bed - and a convenient safe. “So… you’re with the Brotherhood. I trust you got my letter.”

“Mhmm.” muttered Noob, still advancing on her and casually twirling the sickle in his hand.

“I was lucky to have made it out of there. Those Special Forces  _ bastardos  _ were booking everyone they didn’t kill.” she explained with some desperation in her tone.

Nodding, he dismissed “That right.”

“Yes, even Tremor, he-”

Noob deftly sliced the hand cannon out of Tibi’s grasp, the gun flying across the floor. Before Noob could make his threats and demands known, the two heard a knock at the metal door above them and heard a man call through it “Boss, everything okay in there? We heard gunshots.”

Noob swiftly grabbed her and held a gloved hand over her mouth before a squeal could escape her, his dark blade pressing against her throat threateningly. He whispered against her ear “Reassure them that you’re fine.”

He released her mouth and she called up “I-I’m fine!”

The man called back “You’re sure? We can send someone down.”

Noob whispered once more “That won’t be necessary.”

She relayed his words compliantly “That won’t be necessary!”

The man at the door asked once more “You sure?”

Before Noob could suggest anything further, she barked up “ _ Pendejo!  _ I say I am fine! Get the fuck outta here before I cut your fucking balls off!”

The two heard only silence so Noob felt assured the guard took the hint. He liked her attitude. Releasing her a bit but holding his sickle to her chin, he asked “Where is the amulet?”

Gulping, she admitted “Well… you see… I don’t… have it.”

Growling, Noob grabbed her by her neck and slammed her into a nearby wall causing her dogs to whine and yelp in fear for their alpha. “What do you mean you  _ don’t have it _ ?!” he demanded, rage boiling to the surface. So much time and energy wasted on this treasure hunt of his!

Choking, she forced the words out through his vice-like grip “T-Taken…”

“By  **who** ?!” roared Noob, his words ringing out like knives on a chalkboard. 

She struggled to speak, gasping out “Sh-Shirai… Ryu…”

His eyes widening in shock, he released her as thoughts of his last encounter with the Shirai Ryu flashed before his mind. A speared chain ripping into his flesh… searing heat enveloping his body… ashy smoke filling his lungs… Returning to the present, he faced the coughing girl as she choked out struggled breaths at his feet.

“You said in your letter that you had what we wanted… How is it now that the Shirai Ryu have it?!” demanded Noob with a sneer beneath his mask. Black Dragon filth… they may as well have trained monkeys to steal it.

Finding her breath, Tibicena explained “Amulet… in the safe… was a fake. Had our guy look at it and told us so… We think the Shirai Ryu nabbed it along with Kano after they raided our joint with S.F…”

Noob brought his blade to her throat threateningly and chided “You are  **useless** . Had we simply utilized our assets in the Red Dragon, the amulet would be in our hands by now. Instead, our master saw fit to trust untrained bandits with our most prized artifact. No matter. I’ll rid us of your uselessness myself.” 

He moved his arm back to swing at her throat before she called up in desperation “Wait wait! Please wait! I can still be of help to you!”

“Do you know where the amulet is?” he demanded impatiently.

“N-No…”

“Do you know where the Shirai Ryu are located?”

“Not yet…”

“Then just how would you be of use to me, worm?” he asked aggressively, ready to be rid of her annoying presence.

She explained desperately “I know the Shirai Ryu aren’t the only ones gunning for the amulet! The Lin Kuei are involved as well!”

Noob’s eyes widened in shock at this. Kuai… knew of the amulet?!

Smirking, she noted his surprise to this knowledge “Yeah, thought that’d pique your interest.”

He brought his blade back to her chin and interrogated “What concern is it of mine that this pitiful clan is after it?”

She asked “You want revenge, yeah? On the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu?”

He lowered his weapon in astonishment and asked “How do you…?”

She smirked and explained “You think us Black Dragons must be dumber than shit, huh? Our boss was at the Mortal Kombat tournament, he told us how old Scorps fried you to a crisp. I’m offering you a chance to get back at him. All I want is… a little help with taking over this little clan. Kabal was careless, and Kano is an idiot. This clan needs vision.”

Noob scoffed and asked “You? A woman? Lead this band of thugs and miscreants?”

Standing up and offering a sultry smile, she pressed her body against his and stated in a flirtatious tone “You’d be surprised,  _ muy amigo _ . So we got a deal? I help you turn those mask-wearing  _ payasos _ into corpses, you help me gut Kano and run this place?”

He stared at her with doubt, though her charms did seem to have an effect on him. His sizeable cock grew when she pressed herself against him, and she felt it against her leg. Smirking up at him, she whispered “How about I sweeten the pot?” Her hand slipped down his pants and gripped his thick shaft. She kissed his mask as his eyes closed in pleasure, a soft groan escaping his lips.

“ _ Mi gran demonio~ _ ” she crooned, kneeling down to the ground and lowering his pants to get a good view of his shadowy member, which twitched and stirred eagerly with precum oozing off the tip.

Licking her lips, the girl with a skull painted on her face soon became Noob’s new best friend as she demonstrated a level of cock-sucking skill he had not felt in even succubus consorts. Her lips greedily enveloped his head and shaft, her studded tongue slithering across it with trained precision. She was making Sareena seem like an untrained virgin. 

His chest rose and fell as she sucked and lapped away at him, occasionally breathing out a compliment or term of endearment in Spanish. He liked this one. She was… attentive. Cupping his balls in her hand and stroking them as she ran her tongue up his rod, she squealed in surprise when he grabbed her head and forced his dick back into her mouth, forcibly fucking her face.

He heard her choke and sputter as his dick slid into her throat, enjoying the warm softness of her saliva. Before he knew it, Noob’s cock was starting to bulge and twitch in anticipation, a rush of euphoria surfacing within him. “Fuck… yes, take it you whore…!” he groaned, continuing to fuck her face as she closed her eyes tightly in preparation for his release.

He pulled out, sparing the girl a death via choking on his cum. Instead, he coated her face in a splash of his hot seed, with white sticky love covering her mouth and nose and over one of her closed eyes. He grunted low as he came, breathing heavily as he felt the pleasure ripple through his body like a tingly bolt of lightning.

“Damn! No one told me they make ‘em like this in the Netherrealm! You down and out,  _ muy demonio~?  _ Or you willing to stay and negotiate my offer~?”

Noob chuckled as he stepped out of his trousers and kicked them aside, undoing the clips that held his upper armor together “Perhaps I was wrong about you, girl. Let me see what all you have to offer, and tomorrow… I will take you to Quan Chi to speak your peace.”

Grinning, she began to undress, noting “I think this is going to be a beautiful relationship,  _ demonio~ _ ”

 

* * *

The trip to the Netherrealm seemed to nauseate his companion, as the first thing Tibicena did when she arrived was fall to her knees and vomit. Tears streamed down her face and snot fell from her nostrils as her body adjusted to the sheer volume of dark energy pervading the realm. 

Chuckling darkly, Noob commented “Too much for you, Black Dragon? Take it in. This is where your soul will be when you meet your end.” He gazed out at the fields of charred landscape, with hordes of undead loitering about and snarling low.

Tibicena looked up and coughed, wiping her face clean of the mucus and tears. She choked out “What is this… horrible feeling?”

Noob explained as he watched a trio of oni get overpowered by the horde and are feasted upon “This is the Netherrealm. The collection of hundreds of different realms’ castoffs and sinners all devouring and reanimating one another over several layers of destructive landscape. We are the garbage bin of the Elder Gods, and our collective sin has formed a storm of infectious ki throughout the entire realm.”

He looked down at his sickly-looking partner and chuckled “We should get moving. The smell of a fresh Earthrealmer will undoubtedly attract more locals than I care to carve up at this moment.”

Using a fel oil to mostly conceal the sweet smell of fresh Earthrealmer from Tibicena’s body, the two traveled down a road via undead horses, with spiked cages fencing the road in and protecting travelers from the scores of undead in the fields nearby. The groans and growls formed a chorus around the two as the lumbering creatures attempted to stalk them, impaling themselves against the sharp cage.

Tibicena muttered low “This… cannot be my future.”

Noob huffed and advised “You may attempt to cheat death, little dragon. Many have tried. But, in the end, the Netherrealm claims all.”

Rings of black mountains and volcanoes formed what little of the distant countryside the pair could see, and the skies were covered in a pungent smog of corruption. For an Earthrealmer freshly arrived, Noob imagined every breath was like inhaling a bucket of tar. It tickled him to imagine such a brutish and ignorant thug getting a taste of what true sin felt like.

They arrived at the Cathedral of Shinnok after a few hours of riding, with a field of demons guarding the outer perimeter of the castle. They snarled and growled as the two approached, and a pair followed them as they approached the main gate. This was the headquarters of what remained of their Lord’s Dark Kingdom, and the seat of Quan Chi’s power. 

Red lightning arced across the dense smog overhead, illuminating bits of the sky and revealing bat-like creatures flying overhead. Chains rattled as the draw bridge descended, allowing the two to cross over a moat of lava. The two demons watched them dismount upon entering the castle’s stables, and Noob watched the girl shudder in horror at seeing a large furry spider lumber nearby while being ridden by a demon, who cackled in amusement at her fear.

“Best not to linger close, Earthrealmer. The Dread-Spinners of the Dark Grove are ever hungry, and if they happen to smell your scent, I doubt I can save you in time before they injected their lethal venom into you.” cautioned Noob, a sadistic grin beneath his dark mask.

“Y-Yeah…” breathed Tibi as she watched the creature skulk out of the stables. She followed close beside Noob, and the wraith had to stifle laughter at every tremble she made upon noticing nailed corpses on walls or the cries of prisoners in the dungeons below. 

Upon ascending to the laboratory of Quan Chi, they found the sorcerer muttering words in old Kafallic as he drained the blood of a dead prisoner into a glass. Sensing their presence, he stopped his chant and greeted “Saibot… and a visitor?”

Noob knelt before him as he turned to face them, and Tibicena followed suit. A wise decision on her part. Noob explained “I bring news of the amulet, master, and a proposition from this Black Dragon clan member.”

Quan Chi raised a brow and looked to her for clarification. She looked up at him and explained “My clan no longer has your amulet… but I think I know who does.”

 

* * *

After reaching an agreement with Quan Chi and the Black Dragon, Noob felt he needed some much needed r&r before his next excursion - which was going to tax his powers and psyche more than he cared to admit. His repeated overtures to Earthrealm were weakening him, and if he continued to make extended visits, he would be too weak to return and be reduced to a husk. 

He returned to the Brotherhood’s sanctuary in Nekros not long after returning the Earthrealmer, exhausted physically and spiritually. He sought out his quarters, intent on taking a hot soul bath and mounting his prize before resting. As he walked through the halls, however, something felt amiss. All of his subordinates bowed before him, and the demons kept their distance… What was this feeling of imminent dread creeping to the surface?

Upon reaching his chambers, he would quickly find out. The door had been unlocked and, upon entering with a blade in hand, he found his consort missing. Sareena, one of the few things Quan Chi allowed him to own, was gone. Her shackles undone and some of Noob’s trappings removed from his armoire. How…?! How could she have escaped?! Her life force hung by a thread, she should not have had the strength to do so. 

He paced about the room, trying to form thought over the bubbling rage festering inside him. Finally, with a roar, he turned over the armoire and kicked a nearby chair, forming a scythe of shadows and cleaving his work table in half. His rejuvenation could wait. All his relaxation could wait. No reward was worth such a setback. 

Seething in rage, he realized the one place she could have fled, and the one place he needed to go. All evidence - the amulet, the weakness he felt regarding his brother and Scorpion, his escaped slave… it all was fate.

It all lead back to home.


	10. Danger in Diplomacy

Kuai closed his eyes and sighed upon hearing the news. Shroud was leaning against a wooden pillar in his room while Ash faced his back after giving a full report of the mission. Stroking his dark beard, he assessed aloud “So it is true. Hanzo Hasashi has reformed the Shirai Ryu.”

Nodding, Shroud added “Naturally, they were apprehensive to cooperate once they learned we were Lin Kuei.”

“Why, though? We all defend Earthrealm. Aren’t we all good guys, here?” Ash asked.

Shroud shook her head at her and replied grimly “It’s more complicated than that.”

Kuai turned to face her and explained “There is… bad blood between the Shirai Ryu of the Summer Sun and the Lin Kuei of the Winter Moon. Always has been.”

Shroud suggested “But it does not always have to be. Master, we know the truth Sektor tried to hide. I am sure if you explained it to Master Hasashi-”

Kuai merely shook his head and cut her off. “Master Hasashi will not treat with me. He does not trust the Lin Kuei, and has good reason to. Our clan’s honor is stained with generations of Shirai Ryu blood.”

“That’s not the only thing, Master… He mentioned Quan Chi.” Ash noted.

Kuai raised a brow at her “Quan Chi? Why? Did he say?”

She shook her head and explained “All he said was that Kano knew how to find him. It’s why they took him.”

Kuai turned around and pondered for a few seconds, pacing forward a bit before asking “Do you know where they took him?”

She shrugged and thought for a moment. “Some place called the… Fire Gardens? That was it, right? Fire Gardens?”

She looked to Shroud who nodded in confirmation. Kuai breathed a heavy sigh and nodded “Then that is where we must go. I… do not know what kind of reception we will receive, but I have to believe that Master Hasashi is not the man he once was, that there is still honor in him.”

Shroud insisted worriedly “You are not going alone, Master. I will accompany you, so will Tempest.”

Shaking his head, Kuai asserted “Any more than me will look like an act of hostility. I must meet with Hanzo alone, Grandmaster to Grandmaster.”

Ash protested “Master, that’s crazy! They could kill you or take you hostage!”

“That is a risk I must take for the safety of my clan, Miss Fields.” asserted Kuai.

“But-” Ash started but was cut off by him raising a hand for silence.

He looked to Shroud and commanded “Make sure my decision is relayed to the council and the rest of the temple. Have Lan Shun prepare my bags and notify Major Irons of my decision.”

Shroud nodded and stepped into a shadow on the wall, passing a worried glance to Ash before disappearing. Ash turned to Kuai and opened her mouth to speak as he turned his back on her but he cut her off once again “I know what you are about to say, Miss Fields. But this is an important and dangerous meeting. I cannot jeopardize it, not even for my own sake.”

She huffed and insisted “Dude- Master, this is insane. Please, just… allow me to come along with you? I’ve been… This is… My… bond with you has… made being separate from you a little weird and difficult. In here.” Kuai turned to face her and saw her pointing to her heart, a pitiful look on her otherwise cheery face.

Kuai looked to her and held a firm gaze that felt like it was faltering. He noticed it was growing increasingly more difficult to tell her “no” anymore. He just hoped such favoritism was not getting noticed by the rest of the clan. Turning to his armoire nearby, then back to Ash, Kuai smiled and nodded toward it. “This way, Miss Fields. I have something for you.”

She donned a quizzical furrowing of her brows but heeded him, following as he headed over to it and unlocked it with a special key, opening the two doors to reveal a perfectly-crafted light blue Lin Kuei uniform, complete with a ceremonial mask and hood. She gasped and looked it over - from the weaving and leatherwork to the Lin Kuei symbols sewn into the blue cloth straps. “This is for me…?” she asked with a rather speechless look, her eyes wide in awe of the uniform.

Kuai merely smiled and nodded “I made sure to have your measurements right. I have Song Fei to thank for that. It was modeled after my original uniform, during my time as Tundra. Now it will serve you well and keep you protected from the cold at all times without making you overheated.”

Barely able to contain her excitement, she did a funny little dance where she kicked her legs up behind her and held her arms close to her chest, asking “Does this mean… I’m a full member now? No longer a student?”

“We are all students-”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘we’re all students to the teachings of Grandmaster Shi Chu.’ But… like… I’m Lin Kuei, now?” asked Ash, her voice high in anticipation.

Kuai couldn’t help but smile and turned to her, bowing in acknowledgement and respect as he confirmed “You are. Welcome,  _ Tundra _ .”

The small American girl practically exploded with giddied laughter before slamming herself into Kuai, wrapping her arms around his torso in a tight embrace. Her face was buried in his exposed chest, with his eyes wide and blinking in astonishment. He did not know how to respond at first, this being the first show of physical affection he has received in a long time. 

Slowly, he brought his arms up to return the gesture, hugging the girl close to him as he felt a warmness in his heart that he thought he would never feel again. Forming his clan into a makeshift family was as far as he thought he could achieve to actually having one, but this… physical intimacy was something new, something… more pure.

As their embrace nearly broke, Ash looked up at him and the two stared into one another’s eyes, a comfortable silence falling in the room. His mind went blank, not worrying about the Shirai Ryu dealings or the threat of the Netherrealm… He thought of absolutely nothing but  _ her. _ In the months since joining his clan, Ash has proven that her bond with Kuai was something ethereal and powerful. As the two trained, they would find themselves with hearts beating fast in their chests and their muscles tense.

As they ate with one another, he felt more warmth and completion than ever before. Even as he lectured her on the history of the Lin Kuei and its teachings, he found himself mesmerized by her gaze… and her by his. Slowly, they moved to let their lips embrace, their eyes closing as all else melted away.

“What the hell?!” barked Frost, snapping the two back into reality.

They halted in their tracks, their eyes widening as their faces were mere inches apart before removing themselves from each other’s embrace, their faces flushing intensely. Ash began to excuse their heated moment “We were just-”

Kuai reproached “Frost, when did I give you permission to barge into my personal chambers?”

She folded her arms while glaring at Ash scornfully and explained “I was concerned about your safety on this upcoming voyage of yours, master, and then I heard a noise from inside your room. I’ve never needed permission to check up on you before.”

Kuai retorted sharply “Then consider this your first reminder.”

“I am coming with you to the Shirai Ryu temple.” Frost demanded.

Kuai sighed and, before he could respond, Ash interjected “Don’t worry, I’ll be watching his back.”

Scoffing, Frost mocked her “You? I’d sooner trust one of our children.”

Ash folded her arms defiantly. “Well, be that as it may, I am still going. The decision’s been made.”

Frost looked to Kuai with eyes wide in disbelief and asked “Is this true? You’d sooner trust this… novice… with your life than the Apprentice-Grandmaster?!”

Kuai clarified “Apprentice to the Grandmaster and… I still have not decided. I really must go alo-”

“What?! You already said I could go!” Ash protested.

Kuai gave her a questioning look and defended “No I did not!”

“Of course he does not want you to go, he would like to return intact.” Frost barked.

Ash shot back “Well if  _ you  _ go with him, that’s pretty much guaranteeing a fight.”

Growling, Frost demanded “And what is that suppo-”

Kuai finally roared, pulling the reins back into his command, “Enough! I do not have time to settle a three century-old blood feud and babysit you two. I am going alone, and that is final.”

The two stood in silence, not expecting the Grandmaster to blow up like that. Frost was the first to kneel down and apologize “My apologies,  _ sifu _ . I am simply concerned for your well-being.”

Ash knelt down and added her own apology. “Yeah, I’m sorry too, master. If anything were to happen to you…” She trailed off, not wanting to imagine what the Shirai Ryu would do to Kuai.

Sighing, he wiped his eyes tiredly and acknowledged “You both are two of my finest students, and one of the few fellow Cryomancers in this world. But you are both Lin Kuei with hot heads and large hearts, with no room for loyalty to one another. I wish to see you both cooperating like family when I return.”

Ash dared to ask “Is a hug expected…?”

Kuai nodded “Damn right.”

 

* * *

Kuai had been brought his things and was preparing to leave, packing a large sword wrapped in leather and bound in tight string with several other trinkets. He heard a knock on his chamber door and mentally braced himself. It could only have been one of two people he knew. “Come.” he answered, permitting entry into his room.

Frost opened the door and greeted gently “ _ S-Sifu _ , I wanted a word, if I could.”

Kuai continued to pack his things and replied “One in private?”

“Preferably.” answered Frost before shutting the door. She approached him slowly and pondered her words for a moment before stating plainly “I do not trust the American,  _ sifu _ .”

Sighing in irritation, Kuai started “Frost, I-”

“I do not trust her because she has not proven to be trustworthy to me. Berate me for it if you would like, but I cannot help how I feel. You tell me to be more tolerant but she hails from the same lands as the people who mock us while they ‘fix’ our temple. She bends or outright disobeys your orders  - on more than several occasions - and has made zero attempts to be my friend.” explained Frost adamantly.

Kuai looked to her and added “You haven't exactly been accommodating, Frost.”

She stood firm with her convictions, and declared “I do not like the idea of you traveling to meet with Scorpion alone, master.”

Looking back down at his luggage, Kuai sighed “If I bring anyone else with me, I risk disrespecting them or showing weakness.”

“If you are worried about showing weakness,  _ sifu _ , let us bring our most elite with us.” offered Frost.

Kuai looked to her and clarified “That would severely diminish our temple’s security, especially with outsiders here and the threat of the Netherrealm still looming.”

Frost sighed and asserted “It has been almost a year since your brother attacked,  _ sifu _ . But… I understand.”

After a moment of silence where Kuai continued packing his things, Frost finally asked hesitantly “Why her?”

Kuai raised a brow at the girl and asked “What do you mean?”

“Why is she the one you choose to love…?” She clarified. 

He was a bit stunned by the question and found his response difficult to muster “I… don’t know what you mean.”

Frost added, looking somewhat defeated “There are dozens of other girls in this temple, yet you choose the exotic foreigner as a potential mate? You could have any of them, someone worthy of you. Someone who knows our clan and its history and isn’t just adopting it.”

Kuai struggled with this notion, asking “Like who?”

Frost approached him and removed her mask, revealing a pale yet youthful and lovely face. She breathed out nervously “Like  _ me _ .” Dropping her mask to the floor, she approached him, resting her gloved hands on his tunic gently. She had to lift herself by her toes to reach him but she moved to kiss him, her eyes slowly closing as their lack of distance allowed Kuai a glimpse into her ki. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and sweat poured from her like a cold rain. 

He almost shared her kiss but stopped her moments before their lips could meet, grabbing her wrists and saying “Wait…”

Her eyes opened, allowing Kuai to see her lovely blue gaze up close. It pained his chest how closely it resembled Ash’s, and how that made him feel. “I… cannot. I am sorry, Frost, but this is… I just can’t.”

He released her arms and they lowered to her sides, her gaze falling to his chest as she murmured “No, I am sorry… Kuai.” She bent down and picked her mask up angrily and left, her hand raising up to her face to wipe away what Kuai assumed were tears.

With a heavy sigh, he slumped down onto the end of his bed where his bags were and rubbed his bearded mouth. What was he going to do about this? He could see there would be no reconciling the two, especially if… he did decide to pursue Ash. It would shatter Frost’s already frigid heart. Kuai had… considered Frost in such a way before, that maybe love could warm her cold veins and teach her about showing affection and patience with others. But that was not a good reason to pursue someone’s heart.

Zipping up his duffel bags, Kuai prepared for his departure.

Upon making it outside where the carriage was waiting on him to head to the nearest town, he looked back at the temple and sighed. He half expected Ash to be out here waiting for him so they could give a farewell before his journey. Climbing into the carriage, he called up to the driver and commanded “You know where to go.”

The hooded driver nodded and, with that, they were off, with a pair of brown horses taking them onto the paved road south. The clacking of hooves against cobblestone was all that Kuai could hear aside from the low howling of spring winds. He reclined in his cushioned seat, staring out the window and wondering about how to best tackle his situation with Frost and Ash. He felt a weight in his center, as if this problem had no right answer. He did not relish the idea of upsetting either of them, but he could not lead either on with their feelings.

After a few minutes, he looked out the window and could no longer see the temple off in the distance behind them. With a heavy sigh of resignation, he returned to inside the carriage before blowing out a sneeze.

“Allergies?” asked Ash from the front of the carriage.

Sniffling, Kuai replied “Yeah…” He stared ahead for a moment before the dots connected. He pulled the carriage window in the front aside, revealing Ash’s face smiling back at him from the driver’s seat. “What the-?!” he managed, in both surprise and frustration.

“I know what you’re gonna say…” started Ash, turning back to the horses.

“You should not be here, Fields!” berated Kuai.

“Tundra. And I know, but I am here now and Kyoto is such a far ways away to travel alone.” excused Ash.

Kuai berated further “You were given explicit instructions to remain at the temple. Now, not only must I focus on my mission but I must also worry about you! You will drop me off at the village and then return home immediately after.”

Ash sighed and made her decision known to Kuai “Look, master, I am sorry for disobeying you. I don’t mean disrespect with this, but you are marching into what could be your death. I can’t just be expected to sit idle for that. On my last mission, I went to bed each night wishing you were with us. If you don’t return from this, and I knew I could’ve done something… It would break me.”

With a moment of silence between them, Kuai finally acknowledged “...Very well. But you had best be ready to make peace with Frost when you return.”

She retorted “Hey, she’s the one with a problem with me. I’ve only ever been-” Turning and noticing his reproachful stare, she grimaced “Alright.”

Nodding, Kuai added “From now on, however, you must listen to and heed my decisions. I am the Grandmaster of this clan, Tundra. I need my clan compliant.”

“Of course! Just… let’s try not to put you in situations where your life's on the line with no back up, yeah?” asked Ash with a smile.

Chuckling, Kuai agreed “I’ll do my best.”

 

* * *

Kyoto, Japan was humid and hot compared to the Lin Kuei’s Arctika - likely why the Shirai Ryu chose it as the sight of their sacred temple - the Fire Garden. Ash and Kuai had taken a boat to reach Japan and, from there, traveled by bus to reach Kyoto. Kuai was never used to the big cities and their bustling movement. So cold and ineffectual.

The streets were filled with people, some being ordinary citizens going about their lives. Kuai knew, however, that there were eyes on them, watching them as they entered Shirai Ryu territory. They had donned the clothes of average citizens, wearing tourist shirts and holding their Lin Kuei garb in a bag that Ash had brought, but their faces were known to the ninja clan - particularly Kuai’s.

Ash asked curiously as they walked down the crowded sidewalk, “So you never told me exactly  _ why  _ these Shirai Ryu guys hate us so much?”

Kuai kept his eyes forward, answering quietly “You’ve heard the stories of the Mortal Kombat tournaments, I trust?”

She nodded and he continued “Scorpion - Grandmaster Hasashi - was once a Spectre in service to the sorcerer Quan Chi, an ally of Shao Kahn. He and his clan were believed to have been wiped out by Bi-Han as restitution for some slight or another. In truth, Quan Chi donned my brother’s form and wiped them out, killing Master Hasashi as well and then resurrecting him as his personal enforcer.”

Ash blinked at this, muttering “Shit… But… he’s human now?”

Kuai nodded, explaining “During Shao Kahn’s invasion, Lord Raiden was able to convince Master Hasashi to break free from his dark master’s control. He has since reformed the Shirai Ryu and pledged their service to defending Earthrealm, like us.”

Ash grimaced, noting “But the bad blood still remains.”

“Master Hasashi is right to distrust us. The Lin Kuei has been nothing but hostile and cruel to our Japanese brothers. I have been… worried the Shirai Ryu would never treat with the Lin Kuei. I must place my faith in Master Hasashi now.”

“You swim in dangerous waters, Lin Kuei.” greeted a voice from behind them. 

Before Ash or Kuai could react, the person from behind - a woman - commanded “Keep walking forward, or I cut your throats.”

Ash tensed but kept walking, as did Kuai who noted “Bold of you to so brazenly threaten people with death in broad daylight.”

“More bold is Lin Kuei entering our city uninvited. Why are you here?” she asked, marching the two down a sidewalk that was conveniently void of any people. Kuai made note of shadows moving on rooftops nearby. 

Kuai’s gaze turned forward and he declared “I am Grandmaster Kuai Liang of the Lin Kuei, and I would meet with Grandmaster Hasashi to discuss an alliance.” 

The girl behind them scoffed and mocked them “An alliance with Lin Kuei? I would sooner see Shirai Ryu teach cooking classes.” She grabbed one of Kuai’s large duffel bags and he pulled it out of her grasp as she asked “What’s in the bags?”

“Things to be discussed over with Grandmaster Hasashi.” answered Kuai dryly.

“Bombs? Poison?” suggested the woman behind them.

Kuai insisted “Items that will be discussed with the Grandmaster. Tell him who I am and why I have come, and let him decide for himself what to make of us.”

The girl replied sternly “Oh, we intend to,  _ Master Liang _ .”

The two were brought before a large gate where they could see orange trees that stretched for several acres, enveloping the massive grounds in a small forest of leaves resembling flames. A name both symbolic and visual - the Fire Garden. 

A guard approached the gate and, finally, the woman from behind stepped forward to meet with him. Kuai noticed she was a small thing, who could be easily mistaken for a street urchin. She wore a grey hoodie and a black beanie hat, with dark, messy hair and pale skin. She greeted the guard at the gate who was adorned in traditional Shirai Ryu trappings “Yo. The Lin Kuei claims he’s the Grandmaster and wishes to speak to Hasashi-sama.”

The guard gave a suspicious glare to the two and asked something of her in Japanese and she responded in kind. The guard commanded sharply “The bags you leave with us,  _ gaijin _ .”

Kuai nodded and dropped the bags, allowing the girl to pick them up with effort. She strained to lift the heavy bags and groaned “What do you have in these things,  _ gaijin _ ? Bricks?”

She unzipped it and found the wrapped up sword with a dragon’s head sculpted on the pommel. She looked up at the two and asked “What is this?”

Kuai smiled and nodded to it, replying “A gift.”

 

* * *

Kuai sat cross-legged on a pillow outside next to Ash, who fidgeted in her own uncomfortably. She looked around at the many bright trees and noted “It’s very pretty here. Kind of makes our grove look like chopped liver.”

Kuai gave her a questioning glance, wondering silently what was wrong with chopped liver. The door to the temple in front of them slid open, revealing the same dark-skinned ninja Ash had seen at the Black Dragon’s nightclub. She was very tall and voluptuous, wearing a light fitting Shirai Ryu uniform that exposed her thighs, stomach, and shoulders. Her hair was long and dark with emerald green eyes that fixed on the two as she brought out a wooden tray with cups of hot tea on it.

Kuai bowed his head to the woman and Ash followed suit, accepting the cups humbly and sipping from them. Perks of being a Cryomancer included being able to make sure one never got burned by scalding hot drinks. Still, Kuai noticed Ash blowing on it out of force of habit. He stifled a chuckle as he noticed her accidentally freeze her drink then pretend to drink from it so as to not offend their host.

The woman moved aside as a figure emerged from the temple entrance - a toned Japanese man in his middle ages, with dark brown hair worn in a formal bun and tan skin. Kuai quickly stood and bowed before the man, greeting “Grandmaster Hasashi, thank you for meeting with me.”

“Skip the pleasantries, Sub-Zero, and tell me why you have come.” insisted Scorpion brusquely, his eyes hard and stern. 

Nodding, Kuai explained as the other man descended the small wooden steps to join them “It has been some time since we both have reformed our clans from the ashes, and further still since we last met. I come in hopes of our clans shedding the animosity they once shared and forging a new era of peace.”

Master Hasashi gave him an incredulous stare and took his own seat, being handed tea by the tall woman. He sipped it and expressed “So… you would confess what your clan has long denied, that its history is written in the blood of my people?”

Kuai nodded, sitting back down “Our honor is indeed stained. Centuries of our clans shedding one another’s blood and profiting from each other’s suffering. I return some Shirai Ryu treasures that my clan had stolen from yours and hoarded in our ancient temple long ago in hopes that we may make amends for our past sins.”

This seemed to please Scorpion, who gave a small nod but asserted “My clan was wiped out by yours, root and stem. I bled to death as I watched your brother cut down my wife and child. If you think returning some old trinkets will restore your clan’s honor, you are sorely  _ mistaken _ .”

Kuai could feel the heat of the man’s ki from across the table, though it felt… dark… sickening, almost. It reminded him of the feeling of his brother’s. Nodding, Kuai explained “My brother is actually the reason why we are here, Master Hasashi.”

Scorpion’s eyes narrowed into a glare, asking threateningly “You’re here for vengeance?”

Kuai shook his head, stating “Bi-Han’s death was his own doing. His rebirth as a wraith is Quan Chi’s.”

Hanzo’s glare melted into a shocked stare, muttering an exclamation in Japanese before asking “You are certain of this?”

Kuai nodded gravely, adding “We fought him months ago in our very temple. He killed many of my people, and nearly the one next to me.” Ash confirmed his story, lifting her shirt enough to show the scar in the center of her stomach from where Bi-Han had stabbed her.

Scorpion stroked his dark beard in thought as Kuai added “There is more. We believe we have uncovered the truth regarding the massacre of your family and clan. After I killed Sektor, I recovered memories deep within his databanks - memories of meeting with Quan Chi and negotiating a trade of services, with the sorcerer’s payment coming in the form of the Shirai Ryu’s eradication.”

Hanzo looked to Kuai with skepticism, asking “And I am to take all of this you have just told me on faith?”

Kuai added “I know you have little reason to trust me, Master Hasashi, but I speak the truth. I heard wind from my student here - who was present for Kano’s capture - that you seek the sorcerer yourself. I am concerned for Earthrealm’s safety if the forces of the Netherrealm are moving so actively. As restitution for my clan’s part in the deaths of your own, I offer our aid in tracking down Quan Chi.”

Hanzo blinked at this, asking “Why do you care so much about the Shirai Ryu? Your clan has always despised mine.”

Kuai asserted firmly “Without good cause. We are all defenders of Earthrealm, and your blood runs with the same honor as mine, as all our ancestors. For too long our clans have fought one another and needlessly shed each other’s blood.”

“And that all ends today?” Hanzo asked.

Kuai nodded,and Hanzo added “Why?”

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster merely adjusted his posture and declared “Because I am now Grandmaster.” He offered a hand to join with Hanzo’s in peace and, with some hesitation, the golden ninja extended his and the two grabbed one another’s wrists in unity. A cycle of bloodshed and prejudice centuries long was now being mended, an old wound finally healing.

“We will find Quan Chi,” declared Hanzo as he stared into Kuai’s gaze sternly, “and wring the answers from his cowardly neck.”


	11. Honorless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Old foes meet again and a new love blossoms in the Fire Gardens! Feel free as always to leave comments letting me know what you think!

Ash had been a big fan of the Fire Gardens, with their brightly colored trees and humid, summer feeling. She was less of a fan of the Shirai Ryu jails, consisting of a deep basement leading down to a series of cells with iron bars. As they descended the wooden staircase to the clan’s prisons, with Ash narrowly avoiding spider webs and loose planks, she felt a bit like an adventurer, delving into a secret dungeon in search of lost secrets and treasure.

Kuai Liang held her hand as they descended, warning of loose planks or holes where she might trip, and Grandmaster Hasashi lead them with the help of a palm full of fire serving as light. The more they descended into the stony, wet basement buried deep underground, the more Ash began to notice it got less and less warm, like all the beauty and majesty and life the Shirai Ryu had was sucked away in this cavernous pit.

Hanzo explained as they descended down the last few creaky steps leading into the dungeon “These halls belonged to the first incarnation of our clan, born to a country engulfed in war. When the great fires claimed much of this city, including this temple, it was decided that the Shirai Ryu would never be bound to one location again for fear of our permanent destruction. We failed to learn from our mistakes, however, and placed a reinforced headquarters in the mountains, away from civilization. But before that, what is now our current temple was built over this… decrepit pit. Where all of the past enemies of the Shirai Ryu bled…”

Ash refrained from making a snarky comment, not just because it would have likely embarrassed her master, but because she couldn’t help but note the faint sounds of squeaking off in the distance. “There aren’t… rats here… are there?” trembled out Ash as she tensed up and held Kuai’s hand a little tighter.

“More than a few.” answered Hanzo as they approached a nearby cell, his fire illuminating its contents.

Kuai and Ash’s eyes widened at what they saw. Sitting there, bound in leather cords to a wooden chair, was Kano. He was shirtless, his muscled form bearing many lashes and cuts. Blood poured from his lips to the floor and his once glowing, mechanical eye had been cut out of his head. Sniffing awake, he made a few ragged breaths followed by a series of coughs, only to look up weakly and find the three of them staring back at him. He smirked a bit and coughed out “Heh… ‘ello there. Here to give another go at ol’ Kano, eh, Hanzo? An’ I see you brought chums!”

Ash felt little sympathy for the piece of shit. Everything from a weapon and drug dealer to a sex slave trafficker for the Black Dragon, there were zero lines Kano wouldn’t cross if it suited him. She mocked “Funny man to be making jokes in your position.”

Smiling at her, he looked back over to Master Hasashi and asked coyly “I like ‘er, Hanzo. She one’a yours?”

Ash clenched her teeth angrily and barked at him “I’m no one’s you lowlife assh-”

Kuai held up a hand for her to be silent, simply staring at the bound thug. Kano merely whistled and mocked “Now, now, love, that’s no way to behave! You haven’t even bought me supper yet!”

Chuckling coarsely, he looked over to Kuai and his smile faded. He noted “Sub-Zero, how ‘bout that? Been a while.”

Kuai gave the man the iciest stare Ash had ever seen that sent shivers up even her spine, with him replying sharply “So it has. How is the knee?”

Smirking, the Black Dragon leader replied “Jus’ fine. How’s the face? Sorry about that, by the way. Was aiming fer ya’ neck. Still, bet you be thinkin’ about me everytime you look in the mirror, eh?”

“I’ve suffered worse.” retorted Kuai before turning to Hanzo and asking “How long have you kept him here?”

Hanzo kept his stare on Kano as he replied “Ever since we brought him here. He receives enough to survive… until he reveals Quan Chi’s whereabouts.”

Kuai paled at this, with Kano declaring “I got nothin’ on Quan Chi, mate! Trust me, the spook’s been off our books for quite some time. Nothin’ but Earthrealm dealin’s since Outworld closed up shop. Since when you Lin Kueis and Shirai Ryu folks been shackin’ up, anyway?”

Kuai ignored him and gestured for Hanzo to join him away from Kano’s earshot, causing Kano to shout “Oi! I’m talkin’ to you!”

Ash folded her arms as the two Grandmasters spoke, with Kuai whispering “Master Hasashi, this is… not honorable. Binding a man like this to a cold cellar, torturing him…”

Hanzo turned to him with a calm intensity and retorted “This man has no honor, and deserves none. Before, I sought Quan Chi to permanently sever the link he once had over me. Now, if what you say is true about my clan… it is twice as important that we extract the information out of him… by whatever means necessary.”

“You say he is without honor, this is precisely the reason why he is not worth soiling your own.” insisted Kuai, clearly unnerved by the extreme methods of the Shirai Ryu.

Scorpion glared at him and suggested “Perhaps in the Lin Kuei, they taught you to strike only when appropriate. But in the Shirai Ryu, for the sake of our survival, every tool must be used, every method considered… no matter the cost of honor.”

Kuai stared the man down, commenting “Perhaps my clan was right to fear me coming here. I was hoping you were more honorable than my brother claimed you to be.”

Scorpion offered “If you do not favor our methods, perhaps this alliance you proposed is not possible. I can have my guards escort you to the gate… unless you would prefer a room down here?”

Breaking up their confrontation, Kano coughed out a struggled laugh, mocking openly “You ninjas are always good for a laugh. Always on about yer honor and vengeance. Besides, you think these bars’ll hold me?”

Ash scoffed at this, retorting “They’ve held you so far.”

Looking to her, his smile faded as he explained “I’m Kano, you dumb bitch, and my boys are already on their way. You masked shitbirds are in for a rude awakening when they show…”

Growling, Scorpion approached the bars and slammed his gauntlet-covered hand against it, demanding “Speak, you flea-ridden mongrel!”

Reclining in his chair, Kano dismissed “I said my piece, ya’ piss-colored Jolly Ranchah. But I promise, ya’ better hope my boys kill ya’ before they let me back out, ‘cause I owe a debt to the both’a ya’.”

 

* * *

Noob and Tibicena stood on a rooftop overlooking the streets of Kyoto - in particular, a walled-in field of orange trees belonging to the Shirai Ryu clan. 

His arms folded across his broad chest, Noob listened as Tibi explained her plan to him “So way I see it, is - they’ll know we’re comin’ no matter what, yeah? This is their city, they got patrols undercover, out in the streets, all the time. So, what I’m thinkin’ is - we commandeer one’a them dumpster trucks, y’know, the big fat ones. Then we fill it up with some of your goons and ram it through their fuckin’ gate. While your guys spill out the truck’s belly, my guys come in from the fresh hole and start laying ground fire.  _ Que son tus pensamientos _ ?”

Noob responded coldly “Childish and vacuous.” 

Tilting her head, Tibi asked “Why so?”

Noob corrected “How so. The Shirai Ryu specialize in fire. Your battering ram runs on gasoline. Do the numbers and come back to me on how close my men get to that gate.”

Pursing her lips in thought and swiveling her body to where her back faced the shadowy wraith, Tibi pondered aloud “Okay, well… we could use grenade launchers. Blow their gate to hell, rain hellfire on their courtyard- hell, we could level their entire fucking temple!”

Noob did not look at her, dismissing her idea swiftly “And bury the amulet in a heap of burning rubble and bodies, leaving us with whatever Shirai Ryu left to deal with on top of the encroaching authorities.”

Sighing in frustration, Tibi moved closer to him as he assessed the fortress that was the Fire Gardens, asserting “Look, man, we are the Black Dragon. Like dragons, we don’t tiptoe around our enemies. We roast them alive.”

With a brief closing of his eyes in annoyance, Noob chided “And because of that, your ‘clan’ has not risen above being an inconvenience to Earthrealm - a bone for the Special Forces dogs to chase.”

Smirking, she suggested “Well… maybe we just need a proper killer to show us how it’s done~?”

Eyeing the gate intently, Noob felt like he was missing something… something crucial. Then it donned on him. The key to killing a scorpion was not at the front, where its pincers and tail could easily kill an attacker… but from behind, where it was vulnerable. 

He smirked beneath his dark mask and turned to her, declaring “Prepare your men and make sure they remain hidden until summoned. We attack when the moon is full.”

The circle was closing, and the beginning of the end was near.

 

* * *

Ash sighed while wiping her eyes as Kuai removed his shirt to put on his sleepwear, trying to avoid gazing at his toned and scarred form like a hungry animal. She snuck herself the odd peek or two… or twelve, since his back was facing her. “So… what’s the plan, exactly? I mean, it’s nice of them to let us stay the night and all, but… you and Master Hasashi didn’t sound like you were getting along too well.”

Kuai put on his grey sleeping shirt and tucked the dragon medallion in his pack, setting the duffel bag beside his bedroll on the floor. The room they were staying in was on the second level of the Shirai Ryu temple, with a small window letting in the moonlight. He answered tiredly “First… do not speak so loudly. We must be mindful of our hosts.” This was a subtle warning to Ash to not talk about things that might endanger them when in the house of the Shirai Ryu. 

She nodded quietly in understanding and he continued “Second… I am not sure. Tomorrow, I meet with Master Hasashi at breakfast to discuss what is to be done with Kano.”

Ash squinted at him and asked “What…  _ is  _ there to be done with him? I mean, torture or not, the guy’s a scumbag, master, you have to admit.”

“Scumbag or no, Tundra, there are lines we do not cross. It is what separates us from the enemy. Besides, torture is never an accurate way of gathering information.” explained Kuai, laying down on his bedroll with a groggy yawn.

Ash rolled over and grimaced “I mean… you’re not wrong, but… it’s still Kano. Honestly, I think he’s pulling you guys’ legs. He doesn’t know anything about Quan Chi - or at least anything relevant.”

Kuai breathed for a moment before asking “What would you have me do then, Tundra?”

She rolled over to face him, looking concerned, and offered “We could go to Raiden - see if he’ll help us.”

Kuai shook his head and explained “Lord Raiden is monitoring Outworld for potential threats with its new Empress. He will be hard-pressed to help us with an incursion into the Netherrealm. Special Forces and the Shirai Ryu may be our only avenue of approach.”

Grimacing, Ash nodded and rolled over, her body covered by blankets. She wore a bandeau that felt rather tight around her bust and some booty shorts. After a moment of silence, she groaned a little a removed the blanket covering her, feeling like the room was sweltering.  _ Fire Gardens indeed…  _

Kuai noticed her exposed body and blushed darkly, rolling over. He growled in annoyance as well, his body sweating profusely by the heat of the temple. The air was thick and heavy, and before long Ash got up and escaped to the nearby window, fanning herself with her hand. She commented “Damn… Do these Shirai Ryu have to crank the heat on when it’s already so hot out?”

Kuai watched her move, marveling at her figure as she stood in front of the window. Her rear was large and inviting, with smooth, pale legs and short, soft hair that seemed to have a glow to it when kissed by the moonlight.

“So… are we going to talk about what happened back at the tempe anytime soon?” asked Ash, her back facing him.

Squinting for a moment, he asked “What happened back at the- oh.” He gulped a bit, unsure of how to approach this topic. The event was still hazy in his memory, a fumble on his part born of lust and romantic desire for the girl. He has been able to keep his feelings in check for months… why was he failing so hard now?

He confessed “For the longest time, I… felt such feelings and desires were beneath me, beneath any true warrior of the Lin Kuei. At least, that was what my brother and I were made to believe. After I uprooted the poisonous ways that had taken root in our clan, I… simply never had time or desire to pursue such things. I felt like I was unworthy of it. I had failed so many, what if I failed the person I loved as well?”

Ash turned to face him, a worried look on her face as he stood up to join her by the window. He added “However, in my time with you… you’ve… shown me so much, enlightened me when I was to be the teacher. And, in doing so, you’ve made me realize… I have… feelings for you, Ash.”

This was the first time in a long while that Kuai had referred to her by her first name. But what left Ash breathless was his confession. Her heart hammered in her chest so hard, she could hear it beating in her ears. All words left the two as they leaned in for attempt number two on first kiss moment, the world melting away as their bodies felt hot and their chests felt heavy.

Then came the sound of screams out in the courtyard followed by shouts in Japanese and the sounds of battle following. Swords clanging, gunfire, and explosions rocked the courtyard before Ash gave a disappointed frown. “God-fucking-dammit…” she cursed, turning to get dressed and ready for fighting.

Kuai looked to her as they hurriedly put their Lin Kuei trappings on, assuring “We will pick up on this later. I promise.”

“Holding you to that.” said Ash with a smile, pointing at him as if sealing the promise in stone. He returned the smile before donning his mask, tucking his Dragon medallion on his sash. He felt so much more cooled down by its presence… which disturbed him. Its power outweighed the centuries of intense, fiery ki that the temple commanded.

Before long, their door slid open, revealing the dark-skinned woman from before, adorned in her Shirai Ryu attire. “We have intruders!”

Ash replied quickly “We heard.”

Kuai affirmed “We’re coming to help. Do you know who the assailants are?”

She confirmed “Black Dragon, though they have help from some group we have never fought before.”

Ash and Kuai exchanged glances, wondering if they were being visited once more by their old foes. They followed the woman in heading downstairs to the courtyard, intent on joining the fray. 

 

* * *

The Fire Gardens were in chaos. The forest surrounding the temple was smoking and on actual fire. As the three entered the courtyard to see what was going on, the dark woman gasped at the sight of their sacred trees burning. She turned to the assailants - dark ninjas adorned in black with ghostly white eyes - and screamed as small pilot lights formed on her arms. She sent her hands forward and fired off a stream of flames toward them, lighting many of the foes on fire as they were standing over dead Shirai Ryu.

The shadow ninjas did not scream as they died, but rather exploded into large, dark purple flames that sent the stone tiles of the courtyard scattering as if mortars were being dropped. Their deaths left behind a pungent odor that reminded Ash of jet fuel. Kuai squinted at smoldering cloud that was left behind, wondering aloud “What in the realms…?”

Before the smoke could dissipate, a bullet zipped through it and embedded into the Shirai Ryu woman’s arm, causing her to yelp in pain and fall back. Kuai caught her and scanned the smoldering ruin for any sign of their attackers, with Ash summoning a small sword of ice with effort. She had to strain, grunting out “Come on… come on…” as she got the blade to form a delicate point. 

Emerging from the smoke was the same Hispanic Black Dragon girl Ash had met back at the club, greeting with a smirk as she held a large handcannon in one hand and a leash for her two rottweilers in the other “ _ ¡Hola, perras _ !”

Ash smirked and huffed out as she advanced on the girl “Oh this bitch is mine.” 

Kuai urged “Ash, stop!” 

The Black Dragon girl with skeletal tattoos all over her body whistled and released her hounds, letting them bark viciously as they ran toward Ash with the intent to kill. Ash’s eyes lit up, unprepared to fight such quick and vicious beasts, and her body froze. Despite screaming at herself internally to move, her muscles locked, her heart hammering in anxiety as she watched the dogs close the distance between them. 

As the barking became louder and she was sure she was about to be ripped apart, a ball of ice flew past her onto the pavement in front of the dogs, causing them to slide and fall to the ground clumsily. “Ash,  _ move _ !” roared Kuai hastily as he advanced, summoning a thick slab of ice on his arm to serve as a shield as he moved. He grabbed Ash by the shoulder and flung her behind him as the Black Dragon girl began firing at him, the bullets chipping away at the ice bit by bit.

He heard the dogs snarl and begin scratching at the ice shield he was using, then saw one attempt to snap at his feet as he backed away. He grunted and slammed the ice shield down on the creature’s head, hearing it yelp in pain. With a grunt, he forced the shield forward, creating spikes on the other side of it to impale the poor creatures. The Black Dragon were mongrels, but these hounds did not choose their lives.

He heard the Black Dragon girl curse and continue to fire at his thick ice slab before hearing the clicking sound of her gun being empty. He quickly dropped the shield with the dead dogs attached and shot forward a spray of icy mist to cover the girl, but it was nullified by a darker spray from nearby. Looking next to her, Kuai noticed a dark figure approach and the tightness in his chest went away, if only for a familiar threat - Bi-Han. 

“Kuai Liang.” greeted Noob, staring his brother down with his ghostly gaze.

Kuai returned the glare, with Ash looking less than thrilled to see him once again, and returned “Noob Saibot.”

Huffing in amusement, he asked as he stalked towards them, a shadowy scythe emerging into his grasp “What is the matter, little brother? Not happy to see me again?” He slung the weapon over his shoulder idly.

Kuai took a battle ready pose and kept in front of Ash, replying sharply “Not exactly.”

Noob merely gave a look of “fair enough” before nodding to the Shirai Ryu temple, noting “I can’t say I’m happy seeing you allying yourself with the Shirai Ryu. Wasn’t their clan wiped out years ago?”

Kuai spat back “Their Grandmaster has reformed it. You remember him, do you not?”

Noob merely smirked beneath his mask at his brother’s retort, replying “ _ Coruscatingly _ . Still, I am afraid they have something I am after. Perhaps you have seen it? A small amulet with an emerald-green gem in the center.”

Kuai had no idea what he was talking about. Some sort of artifact? Still, perhaps he could use this as leverage to get information. “It is safe here, Saibot. Your masters in the Netherrealm will have to go wanting.”

Noob shook his head, walking still towards Kuai while idly swinging his sickle and declaring “The Black Dragon has seen much reward for serving my masters, Kuai Liang. You can expect no reinforcement from the local law. Some well-placed promises of immortality has granted me immunity to work as I see fit, and your Shirai Ryu friends have been gradually getting picked off outside the temple. Your walls are breached, my brothers and sisters of the shadows are entering from all sides while the Black Dragon sets their ‘Fire Gardens’ to more accurately reflect their name.”

Stopping a few feet away from Kuai, he offered “There is no future for our enemies, Kuai. The darkness will engulf the light. It is only a matter of time. But you and your clan do not have to perish with the rest. Join us, brother, and your clan shall not be tucked away in some frozen corner of the world… it shall spread across fields, across worlds… across  _ realms _ . The Lin Kuei will command true authority, the highest honor of the cosmos, with you as its immortal Grandmaster.”

Scoffing, Kuai shook his head “I want to believe there is some part of you still left in there, Bi-Han… I hope to all the Elder Gods I can save you… but perhaps Raiden is right. Perhaps you are  _ beyond  _ saving.”

Noob’s gaze softened a little at his words and he looked briefly to the ground before confessing “I am sorry it has to be this way, brother.”

Kuai saw through his words and asked “Are you?”

His gaze hardened into a cold, predatory stare before his head shook. The two stood for a moment, staring one another down, before charging into battle. Kuai formed a pair of thin ice swords and parried against Noob’s slashes, the wraith’s onslaught driving Kuai back a few steps as the Lin Kuei warrior struggled to hold his ground. 

Ash watched the two warriors clash in awe - years of Lin Kuei training and skill and mystical abilities on display. Noob substituted his small sickle for a large, shadow-born warhammer and swinging it with full force against Kuai, who joined his swords together to form a quick shield of ice to guard against the impact.

The hammer shattered the shield into bits of ice chunks and sent Kuai flying onto his back. He quickly created a larger ice shield to guard against Noob, who advanced on him with a quick march and brought the hammer down against his wall of ice repeatedly. His shield crack with each swing made by the wraith, but as Noob tired with each effort, Kuai re-froze some of the cracks formed by the assailant, reinforcing his defenses. 

Kuai noticed, through the ice, the shadow of Noob bringing the hammer back for another hard swing and promptly sacrificed one of his hands holding up the heavy ice to send a shard of frozen water into Noob’s shin. The wraith grunted in pain as his leg was impaled, black blood coating the shard from the exit wound. 

Ash watched as the two legendary warriors fought, but noticed the Hispanic girl Noob was with trying to make a break for the cellar doors leading down into the Shirai Ryu prisons… likely trying to spring her boss. Reacting quickly, she sent a flurry of freezing water over the wooden doors, blocking it from opening. The Black Dragon girl turned and drew a small, handheld submachine gun and aimed it at Ash. 

The female Cryomancer’s eyes lit up as the air was lit up with a spray of hot lead, the small weapon peppering the area Ash was standing on wildly. She barely managed to retreat behind a metal statue depicting a dragon, using her ice powers to form a thick block in front of the wounded Shirai Ryu girl. The bullets ripped through the air erratically, bouncing off the metal dragon statue, digging into the rock flooring, and chipping away at Ash’s ice wall protecting the other girl. 

Kuai noticed the Black Dragon girl firing at the two and, after slamming his massive ice wall into Noob and sending it toppling over the shadowy warrior, he sent a few rods of ice flying at the gun-toting thug. The frozen rods slammed into the girl’s head, shoulder, and gun hand knocking her weapon loose. She grunted in pain and clutched her bleeding temple before retreating to cover, barking orders in Spanish to oncoming fellow Black Dragons. 

Kuai turned back to face Noob but was quickly assaulted by repeated slashes from the Nether-ninja’s shadowy polearm, whose blades were shaped in a cross and made audible ringing sounds as it was swung. Kuai narrowly dodged each strike, evading the blades by a hair thin margin. He quickly grabbed hold of the long shaft to freeze the weapon and, hopefully, Noob’s hands along with it but found his spirit assaulted by the weapon’s abhorrent energy. A thousand tortured souls screamed into Kuai’s skull at high volumes causing him to release the weapon and clutch his head in pain.

Noob smirked beneath his mask and twirled the weapon back, swinging it at Kuai’s shoulder hard. Before the attack could connect, he groaned loudly in pain as he felt a knife made of ice bury itself into his left hand. Turning, he saw the Sub-Zero’s new protege sending multiple ice knives at him. He deflected each with quick skill and began blocking strikes made by Kuai while deflecting her projectiles at the same time, his movements like a deadly dance.

The Black Dragon thugs shot Ash’s ice off with a machine gun while another packing a flamethrower marched toward Kuai and Noob, aiming the nozzle toward the Lin Kuei warrior. Ash gasped and sent her next frozen blade toward the fuel tank on the man’s back, puncturing it and causing it to explode and ignite the brute’s entire body in flame. He screamed as he burned, writhing in pain as the two warriors fought, with the Black Dragon girl glaring at Ash before descending down the staircase. 

Ash had a choice to make. Potentially allow the Black Dragon to free Kano, a dangerous terrorist, or help keep Kuai alive in his fight against this old foe? The answer was obvious.

Growling, she got up and ran towards Noob, lifting herself with her hands and using her legs to lock around the masked wraith’s head. This seemed to catch him by surprise as he grunted and struggled to breath while fighting off Kuai with his spear. His weapon dissipated as the man tried to form smaller, more lightweight weaponry to no avail. Kuai allowed him no time to react, spearing a sword of ice through his side. Noob choked out a growl beneath his mask as he was lifted off the ground by Ash’s strong legs and slammed into the concrete. 

Ash moved aside as Kuai formed a large sword of ice within the span of a second, roaring as he brought the massive blade down on Noob’s crumpled form. The wraith’s white eyes lit up in surprise at the attack, rolling out of the way of it. The thick slab of ice slammed into the ground and kicked up some dust from the impact. 

Noob moved aside, summoning a pair of small, black swords to do battle with the two. Ash, for her part, began firing off knife after knife at the man, preferring to keep her distance. She did not relish a wound from his weapons the first time, and her bravery with an up-close assault was born more out of his divided attention. Kuai, in the meantime, dropped the large sword and donned a more appropriate ice katana, with the two swordsmen hacking at one another quickly and guarding one another’s strikes with their blades. Noob deflected and dodged Ash’s projectiles where he could, even sending out a shadowy clone to do battle with her before it was impaled through the chest and dissolved into a puddle. 

Finally, the wraith kicked Kuai in the chest and sent him flying back into Ash, knocking the two to the ground. He merged his swords together to form a large, black scythe and leapt into the air, intent on bringing the curved blade down upon the two. Then they heard the rattle of a chain, and Ash noticed a shadow cut across the moon in the shape of a snake. A blade at the end of the chain was deflected by Noob, who fell back as Kuai kicked him in the gut.

The shadowy warrior got to his feet and looked to the source of the chain-weapon, watching as it rattled back to its owner standing on top of the temple. His eyes went wide, his scythe melting into nothingness as he stared at the former spectre before him. Scorpion leapt down from the temple’s roof and onto the pavement, standing before Bi-Han for the first time since their fateful duel.

Hanzo merely gripped his chained kunai and growled “You should have stayed dead.”


	12. Shadows and Flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big s/o to my wife, Zexeos, for her help in getting this chapter made! You the best! 
> 
> Noob and Scorps face off and Tibi meets an old friend. Lemme know what you think in the comments!

Noob panted heavily, his vision fading to focus solely on Scorpion. He could hear nothing but chains rattling and being launched toward him, even as the masked and armored warrior just stood there. He saw flashes of the burning skull that enveloped him in flames. He felt his flesh burning and being speared by the kunai. He felt the slashes of the man’s blades. Why…? What was happening to him?!

His muscles were tight and locked, and his knees felt weak. All of the years of Lin Kuei training left him as he struggled, all of the cold, torturous “upgrading” that Quan Chi had performed on him felt for naught as his body sweated. He was told by the sorcerer that he would know fear no more, that he was without weakness… yet why was the sight alone of his killer able to induce such crippling dread?!

Hanzo marched toward him, the kunai and chain dangling from his grasp as he noted “Quan Chi’s sorcery must be failing him if you are the best he can send against us.”

Kuai watched Noob as he stared breathlessly at Scorpion, wondering silently if this was the humanity he had hoped to find. “Brother…” breathed Kuai, reaching out to him slowly.

Hearing his brother’s voice snapped Noob out of his nightmare, and he aimed a shadow-born sword to stab into Kuai’s thigh, twisting the weapon maliciously as he glared down at the wounded warrior. Kuai cried out in pain as the wound immediately turned black, with Scorpion sending his chained kunai at the wraith once more. Noob deflected it like before, staring down his killer with deadly resolve. “You,” he uttered, “...you are the one who did this to me! Burned my skin black! Ripped my heart from my chest!”

Scorpion retorted “I blackened your skin because you razed my clan, and I stole your heart because you murdered my family.”

Noob readied his weapon and roared “I did none of those! ...But I wish that I  **_had_ ** !” 

Roaring in fury, Noob charged at the armored ninja, who side-stepped each of his attacks and retaliated with a few quick slashes from his own swords. The sounds of metal clanging rocked the courtyard, and Ash struggled to pull her heavy mentor away from the fighting. 

Ash noticed, however, that Noob’s shadow began to materialize on the ground similar to Shroud’s work, peeling its body off the pavement while drawing a dagger. “Hanzo, look ou-” cried Ash as the shadow threw the dagger at Scorpion while he was distracted.

Deftly, the former revenant turned and deflected the blade with his own, rushing to the shadow as his sword ignited into flames. “Do not mock me!” growled Scorpion, stabbing into the shadow’s chest and causing it to burst into flames. It writhed and screamed in hellish agony, its voice high pitched and other-worldly. 

Meanwhile, Noob felt the shade’s pain as if it were his own, his sword dematerializing as he gripped his chest and panted in pain. His flesh felt like it was burning, and he could not focus enough to summon his weapons. 

Meanwhile, Scorpion watched the shade as it died, remarking “No matter how dark the shadows, fire melts them all away.” The unholy creature fell apart at his feet, a pool of black, tar-like goop spilling across the floor while still burning. Hanzo turned to Noob and explained as he advanced on him “You may not have killed my family and clan, but you were a blight to it just the same. I remember my old friend - Hamada - cut down by your blade at the Sea of Trees. I remember you driving your ice dagger into my heart. I do not regret killing you. But… I can sympathize being a slave to that foul sorcerer. Surrender now, and we will find a way to free you of him. I swear it by my honor.”

Noob chuckled hoarsely and retorted “Your  _ honor _ ? What use do I have for a Shirai Ryu dog’s promises? Your clan has been built on treachery… deceit… and opportunism. But… I must say, I admire the effort. I make you an offer of my own: surrender the amulet and we leave now, no further blood will be shed. I don’t make any vows on honor because I have none, only on the basis that you all are not worth my time to kill.”

Scorpion did not blink, his hazel eyes merely focused on the remnants of Bi-Han Liang before declaring “When you return to the Netherrealm, tell Quan Chi I am coming for him.”

He sent his kunai and chain hurling towards the wraith, who sunk down into a black portal formed on the ground and reappeared behind Ash and Kuai. Before Ash could react, he aimed a swift kick to her chest, knocking her aside and allowing him to grab and tear the Dragon Medallion from Kuai’s sash. Kuai, for his part, moved to freeze his brother but his wrist was grabbed and frozen before he could. Noob stared him in the eye, remarking “I will not leave here empty-handed.”

Looking down at the already-spreading blight on his brother’s hand, Noob smirked beneath his mask and remarked “If it is worth anything, brother, you are strong of spirit. You should last a little longer than she would have.”

Releasing his brother’s grasp as Hanzo prepared to teleport to them, Noob dipped away into a shadowy portal once more, leaving those in the courtyard to deal with the aftermath. Hanzo looked around, his weapon at the ready, but no further attack came. They simply looked around, with the smell of smoke and death hanging in the air.

 

* * *

An hour had passed, with Ash looking after the writhing and groaning Kuai in quiet anxiousness. Nearby, a Shirai Ryu doctor was tending to the dark-skinned girl’s wounds, digging the bullet out of her shoulder. Scorpion was leading the clean up operation, rounding up what was left of the Black Dragon survivors. All of Noob’s cronies had disappeared, presumably back to the Netherrealm, along with that Black Dragon’s lead bitch and Kano. 

Worry filled Ash like a weight in her belly. This doctor, no matter how much spiritual knowledge he had, wouldn’t have the slightest clue how to help Kuai, and the only thing they knew for sure could cure the taint was now in the hands of the enemy. Raiden once said that, without any help, the victim would suffer for a few hours before succumbing. What that entailed exactly, Ash wasn’t sure but judging by how black and infected the wound looked, it couldn’t be anything good.

By now, it was midnight, and the Fire Gardens had become a smoldering heap of ash and burnt wood. The courtyard still reeked of gunfire and smoke, and the police commissioner and a Shirai Ryu lawyer were arguing outside of the gates with squad cars lining the streets. It seemed they were intentionally late to the party, but had to be there now for the sake of appearances.

Ash held a warm, wet cloth across Kuai’s forehead as he panted and battled with the pain. He had been given some tea and medicine to kick it, but it looked like he would need to be knocked out entirely. She cooed and whispered to him “You’ll be alright, we’re gonna get Lord Raiden and find a way to fix this, master… just… hang in there.” 

She had to be strong. Not just for herself, but for him. So much of her wanted to start crying, watching him suffer like this. He clenched his teeth while putting pressure on his wounded leg, as if it would would make it feel any better. She wondered if amputation would be the only solution…

Finally, she looked to the doctor and asked “Hey doc, is there anything a little… stronger you can give him? Anything you can do?”

The doctor replied in Japanese and, with Ash’s puzzled look, the dark-skinned girl translated “He does not have anything for Grandmaster Liang. His wounds are more spiritual than physical.”

Ash frowned and nodded her head down to the groaning Kuai “This look non-physical to you?”

The girl spoke to the doctor in Japanese and he replied grimly. “A wound like this is not in our capability to heal,” the girl relayed.  


Ash lashed out “So you’re just gonna let him die like this?!”

The girl looked to Kuai and his wounded leg before suggesting weakly “It may be better to put him out of his misery…”

Ash stood up defiantly and declared with aggressiveness “He is going to be okay! We’ve gotten through this before! I am not going to give up on him!”

Words more meant to reassure her than argue the Shirai Ryu girl’s point. Without the Dragon Medallion and Raiden’s guidance, what hope did they have to save Kuai?

The doors to the temple’s infirmary opened to reveal Grandmaster Hasashi, who entered with a man with long, black hair and armored in green Shirai Ryu garb. They spoke together in Japanese as they approached Kuai and Ash, with the green warrior folding his arms as Hanzo stated “Your master’s wound is born from the Netherrealm - an infectious curse has been placed upon him.”

Nodding, Ash lifted her shirt to reveal the scar on her stomach “I know. I experienced it firsthand.”

Hanzo’s gaze fell on the scar and his brows furrowed, his hard eyes lifting back up to meet hers as he asked “How did you manage to survive?”

She looked down at Kuai and explained “Master Liang saved me using his powers with the Dragon Medallion to purge the taint from within me. But… Noob stole the medallion.”

Hanzo nodded in understanding before remarking “How very fortunate that I am here, then.”

Ash looked to him with a mix of puzzlement and renewed hope. Kuai looked up at the other Grandmaster as Hanzo bent down to examine the wound, which was oozing a black puss-like substance. The armored warrior at Hanzo’s side advised “Grandmaster, are you sure about this? If there is even a chance you could contract the taint…”

Hanzo rebuffed the man “I am immune to the Netherrealm’s sorcery, and my own powers are the only thing that can stifle its effects. I must warn you, Master Liang… this will be exceedingly painful.”

Kuai nodded and looked to the ceiling, bracing himself as Hanzo readied his index and middle fingers to stab into the wound. “I am accustomed to pain.” answered Kuai, with Hanzo’s fingers igniting in flame before plunging into the man’s wound. Ash gasped and covered her eyes as Kuai grunted and groaned, his flesh searing from the hellfire. The armored Shirai Ryu warrior and another nearby guard held Kuai down as he writhed, preventing him from instinctively removing Hanzo’s hand.

The sound of sizzling and the smell of burnt death filled the room, with Kuai finally letting out a loud roar of a scream from the sheer, excruciating agony of the procedure. No pain had ever matched this in Kuai’s life, and after a few seconds of intense screaming he finally passed out from it. 

Ash, all the while, watched silently with tears in her eyes. She knew it was the best scenario, but still… watching him writhe and scream like he had took an emotional toll on her. His loud screams harkened her back to the Outworld Invasion, listening to the screams of people being torn to shreds or gunned down by monsters. It was like living a nightmare.

Snapping back to reality, she watched as the doctor applied alcohol to the black hole on Kuai’s leg and began wrapping it in cloth with cotton pads on it. He spoke to Hanzo in Japanese, with the Grandmaster affirming something to the man before speaking to Ash “Master Liang will be without the use of his leg for at least a week, likely two. The hospitality of the Shirai Ryu is his… and yours. While you remain our guests, we ask only that you do not leave the confines of the temple. The Black Dragon and their Netherrealm allies have proven Kyoto no longer belongs to the Shirai Ryu, and we cannot guarantee your safety if you leave the confines of our grounds.”

Ash reluctantly nodded, as if the temple was even safe from Noob and his goons. Them and the Black Dragon burned their way through the Shirai Ryu as easily as they had the Lin Kuei. Still, Hanzo remained the only person so far to send Noob packing. Perhaps he was enough to put the threat of the Netherrealm in check. She boldly asked “Grandmaster, may I speak to you in private?”

Staring at her for a moment, he nodded and turned to guide her out of the infirmary “Follow me.” She complied, but took a last look at the unconscious Kuai with a pang of guilt, fearing that him getting hurt could have been avoided had she simply stayed home.

 

* * *

“Right, then, first thing I’m gonna need is some beer and bitches, eh? Some skag, too, while we’re at it-” started Kano with a grin before being cut off and slammed into a wall by Noob, whose intense stare bore into the cycloptic mercenary.

Tibicena merely watched while idly bumping a baseball bat lined with nails and shrapnel against her shoulder at the base of the bat, her predatory gaze fixed on her former boss as she leaned against a wall in the warehouse they were in. “Where is it?!” demanded Noob, his voice aggressive and hoarse after the pain he had just endured to get his hands on Kano.

The Aussie cutthroat raised his gloved hands in the air for surrender and smiled nervously. “Eh eh, easy there, mate. I had yer fuckin’ talisman then the Shirai Ryu cocks nabbed it, y’see? You want it so bad, they got it,” excused Kano, still sore from his torture at the hands of his captors.

Noob growled and noted “You were hired to deliver it to us! We paid you a small fortune for that amulet, you wretch!” He aimed a hard punch into Kano’s gut and let him fall to his knees, walking away as he pondered on how to get to the amulet. 

Kano coughed and chuckled “If your bosses are so big and bad they can hire out all of Kyoto, what’d’ya need me for?”

Noob smirked beneath his mask and remarked “Good question.” 

“Can I just bust this  _ perro’s  _ skull now?” demanded Tibicena impatiently.

Kano spat up blood on the floor near her and mocked “You ungrateful little bitch! I made your ass! You’d still be stealing crumbs on the streets of Paulo if not for me!”

Tibi removed herself from the wall she was leaning against and approached her former employer threateningly, smirking “We’re not in Paulo now, are we, cyclops?”

She held her marred, nail-covered bat against the side of Kano’s head as Noob announced “You were a clumsy and careless thug, not a courier worthy of our needs. For this… we are bringing new resources to bear.”

Scraping metal blades sounded from the dark corners of the warehouse, and Tibi turned her head to look for the source with a furrow of her brows. The sound of boots walking toward the three could be heard as a figure came into focus, a trenchcoat clattering to the floor as Tibi’s eyes widened in shock. Kano muttered quietly “Holy shit…”

There, approaching the three, was the resurrected and revitalized former Black Dragon leader, Kabal, complete with his old rebreather mask and electronic lung pack attached to his chest. His skin was marred like before but bore an ashy color, with the veins glowing a hellish yellow. His sleeves were rolled up with a green jacket worn over a tattered black trenchcoat, a flak jacket covering his synthetic lungs and chest. His breathing sounded artificial, with raspy “hsssk’s” periodically churning out of his hoarse body. Sheathed at his back via leather sheaths were his trademark hook swords, weapons that he used in his time with deadly skill.

“K-Kabal?!” breathed out Tibicena, lowering her bat from Kano’s head as the undead figure approached them.

Nodding, the masked revenant greeted “Tibicena. You’re looking about par for the course. And if it isn’t my favorite one-eyed wonder. Kano… you don’t look so good.”

Kano smirked and greeted “Could say the same of you, mate. You’ve definitely had better days.”

Kabal chuckled synthetically with a hiss-like breath and remarked “Hope to have ‘em again. At least… Quan Chi promised as much so long as I fix your fuckup.”

Chuckling, Kano asked “And you believe that bald fucker?”

Kabal merely shrugged in response. “Gotta believe in somethin’. Now tell me… where are these Shirai Ryu keeping this amulet anyway?” he replied nonchalantly.

Kano waved a finger up at him in denial, stating “First thing’s first, mate, gotta square up a new contract. Take me to the Netherrealm… wanna speak to your new boss.”

Kabal nodded and affirmed “You got it.” Before anyone could blink, he had one of his hook swords in his hands, already coated in blood. Kano’s head rolled off his neck, a thin bit of flesh connecting them peeling away as a clean cut is revealed, with fresh blood spurting out of his neck before his heavy corpse thuds to the floor.

Noob silently raises his brows in admiration of the kill, with Tibicena jolting a bit from it. She whispered to herself “ _ Dios mío… _ ”

With a trained flick of his sword, Kabal let the blood on his blade splash across the floor before wiping it clean with a rag, turning to the girl “Guess this makes you the new black dragon, huh?”

She nodded, still regaining her composure, before answering “I guess. What about you,  _ mi hermano _ ?”

Noob answered for the revenant “He will finish our work. Get the amulet from the Shirai Ryu dogs and return it to our master.”

Kabal nodded to Noob and affirmed “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve duked it out with Scorps. Should be a gas.” He accentuated his statement with a hissing breath and sheathed his sword at his back. 

“You sure we can hit the temple twice? We bought the locals’ loyalty once and failed, not sure if we can again,” prostested Tibi.

Noob assured her “If they refuse, they will earn what they sow with it. Besides… next time we will not fail.” He revealed the Dragon Medallion stolen from his brother, the silvery artifact glistening in the light.

 

* * *

Grandmaster Hasashi lead Ash into a meeting room with a long, wooden table close to the floor with pillows for seats. He took a seat at the head of the table and she joined next to him, with him starting while preparing some tea “What did you wish to speak with me about, miss…?”

“Tundra, Grandmaster Hasashi. I wanted to talk to you about why the Black Dragon and their… new friends… attacked your clan. The Netherrealm’s forces attacked ours not too long ago with purpose. I assume you have something they want?” inquired Ash, wary of being disrespectful to her deadly host.

Nodding, Scorpion answered plainly “We do.”

“You mind telling me… what that is?” asked Ash, looking more than a little concerned.

Hanzo shut her down quickly “I do mind. You and your Grandmaster may be welcome to stay here but this should be taken as a sign of weakness. The Lin Kuei have always been enemies of my clan, and ours to them. The very fact of your being here says much to your carelessness.”

This statement pissed Ash off a bit, as evidenced by her retort “Carelessness?! My Grandmaster and I just saved your happy asses, in case you forgot.”

“You both have saved nothing, Tundra. It was I who repelled Bi-Han and his forces.” asserted Hanzo sharply, his stare on Ash intense.

Ash declared “If it weren’t for us, your girl would be dead. That’s a fact.”

Scorpion added “Spitfire’s life is owed to you, yes, but you also allowed the Black Dragon to escape with their leader. In his tenure, Kano has killed countless innocents. Now their vengeance is denied because of your interference.”

Leaning forward, Ash insisted “Special Forces caught him before, they can do so again.”

Scorpion corrected “He has eluded them many times before being captured. He has the assets and the instincts to hide from them for a long time and, even if they do recapture him, what then? A lifetime behind bars? He deserves death.”

“Then why didn’t you kill him?”

Scorpion held his gaze on her for a moment before reminding her “You are a guest in this temple, Lin Kuei. Do not forget this.”

Ash sighed and bowed her head to him “Apologies, Grandmaster. My debt to you is doubly so for saving my master’s life. I just… want to know what the plan is here. If Kano was not their true target, then they’ll be back.”

Ash thought she could notice a faint smirk forming beneath the man’s dark beard as he stated “I am counting on it.”

She furrowed her brows at him, asking“Can you at least tell me if Kuai and I are in any more danger?”

Hanzo shook his head at her, finishing their tea and setting a cup in front of her for her to drink “You will be safe. I will be sending Sub-Zero and you to the Dragon Shrine, a small house on the edge of our Fire Gardens that was left relatively untouched by the attack. Spitfire will stay with you there while she recovers and trains, as well as a few other guards. My intent is to lure Quan Chi here where I may kill him and be free of his influence forever… as well as avenge my family’s slaughter.”

Ash nodded before offering gently “You have our help if you need it. These guys, Grandmaster… they’re… no joke. They have ties to the Red Dragon as well as the Black Dragon. They have influence, resources, and freaky Netherrealm shit.”

Scorpion huffed and held his small tea cup, the surface bubbling as steam rose from the top. “They are not the only ones with ‘freaky Netherrealm shit’,” he joked.

Ash could not help but laugh at that. The stoic, angry Scorpion making jokes. What next? Baking in a little apron?

 

* * *

Kuai awoke in the middle of the night to the door to his room opening and looked up to see Ash entering. She closed the door quietly and whispered “Did I wake you?”

He merely shook his head before resting it back on his pillow. His leg felt numb from the injections they had given him for the pain, but a faint ache was beginning to seep back in. He asked weakly “How did the meeting go?”

Ash merely shrugged and explained as she prepared her own bed for sleep “Tomorrow morning we’re getting moved to this little house on the edge of the forest under guard. The Shirai Ryu have… whatever Noob wants, they wouldn’t say, and are planning to use it to bait Quan Chi here.”

Kuai closed his eyes and breathed, silently cursing the hotheaded Scorpion’s obsession with revenge.. “As soon as I have recovered, we must return to Arctika. Our people need to be prepared.”

Ash nodded in agreement as she fluffed out her pillow and asked “Yeah… How are you feeling?”

Kuai smirked and opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as he spoke “I’ve suffered worse. The loss of the Dragon Medallion has weakened me… Very soon, you’ll find me… different.”

Ash stopped fluffing her pillow and looked at him strangely, asking “Different how?” Was he saying he was going to grow scales and shit?

He turned to her with a smile, seemingly amused by her alarmed reaction. “I will still be me, Ash, just… younger. Less withered. The toll the medallion takes on those who wield it is immense,” he reassured.

Ash remarked, a little stunned “Jesus… and you still used it? Why?”

The Grandmaster merely shrugged, turning away from her as he replied “Because I was able to, and needed it to be able to defend my home and my people.” 

Ash smiled and laid down on the bedroll. “Well you have me now to help carry that burden.” 

Kuai replied with a soft smile “Thank you, Ash. You have a strong spirit and a warm heart. I am grateful to have you in our clan.”

Ash didn’t seem to know what to say as she fell silent, taking in the man’s words with an awkward smile. “What are we going to do? If your brother gets his hands on whatever Scorpion has, I mean,” she asked.

“Alert Lord Raiden… and pray.”

A silence fell over the room, and before Kuai knew it, Ash was sound asleep. As she snored softly near him, he stared up at the ceiling, remembering times he had sought the guidance of his brother. He remembered a time when they had first been inducted into the Lin Kuei clan, and it seemed like all the other boys were against them.

After defiantly thrashing Sektor and his friends, Bi-Han scolded Kuai for having to defend him. “ _ Never let others see your weakness, _ ” he said, “ _ Be strong, especially when you’re weak, and nothing can hope to prey on you. _ ”

He silently brought his hands together and prayed to the Elder Gods for guidance, healing, and above all… strength. They would need it now more than ever.


End file.
